Wells' fate headed to jurors

A Mississippi County jury is expected to begin deliberations Wednesday in the first-degree murder trial of Cordell Wells Jr., 24, of Blytheville. Wells is charged with the death of Wale Adelowo on Nov. 6, 2009.

Wells took the stand in his own defense Tuesday, saying he only wanted to speak with Adelowo about some problems they were having at work. Wells told Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Curtis Walker under cross-examination that he was not "upset" about the alleged bullying of him by Adelowo, but he didn't want the treatment to continue.

Under questioning by one of his two Jonesboro attorneys, Bill Stanley and Ray Nickle, Wells told Stanley and the jury that he was working at Denso to make money to remodel a building to open a recording studio, to take care of his child and to save enough to buy an engagement ring for his girlfriend.

Wells said Adelowo continued to harass him, even after asking him to stop. On the day of the shooting, Wells claimed that Adelowo had shown him a gun at work. Although Adelowo had not said anything, Wells considered it to be a threat.

Wells told the jury that he left work that Friday, went to Temps Plus to pick up his paycheck and then went to the bank where his mother worked to cash the check. While there, his mother asked him to rake leaves at her house.

After visiting with his girlfriend for "less than an hour," Wells went to his mother's house and retrieved his .40-caliber Glock handgun before going outside to rake leaves. When asked by Walker why he got his gun, Wells replied that he "always carried his firearm, ever since his father bought it for him."

"Were you afraid that someone was going to come up behind you while you're raking leaves?" Walker asked.

"You never know," Wells replied.

As he was raking leaves, he thought about the teasing and bullying he had endured by Adelowo, Wells said,.

He decided to go to Adelowo's home to talk about it.

"I went over there to make amends," Wells said.

Adelowo was outside near the vehicles in the carport, Wells said. He told Adelowo that he wanted to sort things out, and Adelowo told him to leave.

As he was walking away, Wells said Adelowo tackled him and put him in a choke hold, causing him to fall down. As Adelowo released Wells, Wells heard Adelowo say something about "getting his gun."

Wells claims that he shot Adelowo to keep from being killed himself.

"Were you trying to kill him?" Walker asked Wells.

"No," Wells said.

"Did you go over there to kill him?" Walker asked Wells.

"No" was the answer Wells gave.

Dr. Daniel J. Konzelmann, assistant medical examiner from the Arkansas Crime Laboratory, testified that Adelowo was shot seven times and had eight injuries, including exit wounds. Five bullets were recovered from Adelowo's body, he told Prosecutor Scott Ellington.

The bullets taken from Adelowo's body were fired from the .40-caliber gun found in Wells' possession when he was arrested, said Zackery Elder, a firearms and toolmark examiner for the crime lab.

There were no drugs and a slight amount of alcohol in Adelowo's body, which could have resulted from the natural decomposition process, the doctor said.

"He was not intoxicated," Konzelmann said of the victim.

Other experts from the crime lab also testified as to evidence submitted for analysis. A gunshot residue kit taken from the hands of Wells was positive, a scientist testified.

A DNA expert testified that DNA was found on the gun, but did not match Wells or the victim. Blood on swabs collected from the door of Adelowo's car was the victim's, the scientist said.

Detective Jason Eddings of the Blytheville Police Department testified about various photographs he took of evidence that was submitted. Defense attorneys grilled him about tests that were not performed and evidence that was not collected. Eddings said he had no reason to search Adelowo's vehicle for a weapon because Wells didn't have any injuries.

"What is the special ESP that you have that none of the rest of us have?" Nickle asked Eddings.

"Because they (the officers with Wells) didn't ask for medics," Eddings replied.

Eddings testified that when he got to the address on Mayfair, where Wells was arrested, he appeared "normal" and without injury or any physical distress.

Wells, however, testified that as he ran from Adelowo's residence on Leawood, his asthma began bothering him and he stopped running to walk. That's when Sgt. Blake Lively saw Wells and yelled at him. Wells said it scared him, so he kicked off his shoes and began to run again. Lively caught up with him.

Walker asked Wells why he kicked off his shoes. Wells replied, "So I could run faster."

Circuit Judge Ralph Wilson Jr. twice denied motions for directed verdicts from the defense attorneys, who claimed prosecutors had not proven their case.

Wilson said that the issues cited by the defense are matters for the jury to consider.

Court begins at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. Wilson is expected to present jury instructions to the jury, then the attorneys will present final arguments. The jury will then retire to deliberate.

dhilton@blythevillecourier.com