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By Kim Hall
Staff Writer Coddie Lee Avington, 24, of Malvern, stood trial Thursday on charges of Criminal Attempt to Commit Capital Felony Murder, Unlawful Discharging of a Firearm from a Vehicle and Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony.
The charges stem from a drive-by shooting that occurred Nov. 11, 2007. The trial was brought before the Honorable Judge Chris Williams. The proceedings began at 9 a.m. The Court had seated a jury at approximately 10:30 a.m. The counselors presented opening arguments and began calling witnesses to the stand. The trial proceeded throughout the day, with testimonies from those involved in the incident. Prosecution presented a Criminalist from the State Crime Lab to testify on the evidence taken from the vehicle involved in the incident. At 4 p.m. the counsel gave closing arguments in the case. The jury went into deliberation at approximately 4:40 p.m. The Jury deliberated on the case for several hours at which time a verdict was decided. At approximately 9 p.m. the Jury presented their findings to the Court. The Jury found Avington Not Guilty on the charge of Criminal Attempt to Commit Capital Felony Murder. On the charges of Unlawful Discharging of a Firearm from a Vehicle and Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony, the Jury found Avington Guilty. For these charges the Court sentenced Avington to 5 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections.
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