The man accused of killing Ithaca College student Anthony Nazaire is now awaiting a verdict.
The trial began June 4, and now the jury is currently in deliberation to decide whether Nagee Green, 23, should be convicted of second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter and second-degree assault for stabbing and killing Nazaire and stabbing and injuring another student of the college, junior Rahiem Williams.
Green, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges, has been accused of fatally stabbing Nazaire after a party on Cornell University’s campus early in the morning on Aug. 28.
Since the beginning of the trial June 4 in Tompkins County Court, the prosecution presented 17 witnesses to the jury who provided testimony about what they saw the night of the murder. The defense argued that the case should be dismissed on grounds that the prosecution failed to show criminal intent and lacks evidence, all according to The Ithaca Journal.
According to several witnesses, Nazaire bumped into a woman outside of the party, which led to the altercation that took place between Nazaire and Green, The Ithaca Journal reported.
On the stand, rising senior at Ithaca College Daniel Nunez recalled the night the murder took place. He said he faced off with Green during the fights that broke out before the stabbings. Nunez said he and Green exchanged punches and that he noticed a knife in Green’s right hand. He said he barely avoided being struck by the knife, according to The Ithaca Journal.
Also presented to the jury was a video of Green confessing to the murder of Nazaire while being interrogated by two police officers. Green’s attorneys filed a motion in January to have the confession that Green made during an interview with the New York State Police thrown out because they said investigators lied and used “mind games” with Green, as the officers claimed they had a video of him stabbing Nazaire.
While video has been shown in court of Green wielding a knife, no video was obtained of him stabbing either student.
According to court documents, Green consistently denies stabbing Nazaire in the video of his confession when being interrogated by New York State Police officers. Later in the video, he said it could have been accidental if Nazaire fell on the knife; Green then confessed to stabbing Nazaire.
