Prosecutors wrapped up a quick trial Thursday in the case of a man charged with murdering two Westerville Police officers.
Quentin Smith stands accused of murdering Officers Anthony Morrelli and Eric Joering in February 2018. He waived his right to testify in his own defense, and his team didn’t put any witnesses on the stand.
In closing arguments, Smith's attorney Frederick Benton tried to undermine the prosecution’s contention that Smith knowingly shot law enforcement officers.
“This is moving fast,” Benton argued. “Small room, shots being fired, totally unexpected. There’s fear, there’s chaos and there’s confusion”
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. The two aggravated murder charges they’ve filed are based on Smith killing a law enforcement officer.
Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien, in contast, depicted Smith’s actions as deliberate. During his closing arguments, O'Brien told jurors after the police knocked on the door, Smith cracked the door to look out.
“There’s no question who’s knocking on the door at that point in time," O'Brien says. "Two Westerville Police officers who’ve been there before. He knows they’re police officers, they’re not detectives in plain clothes.”
In addition to the aggravated murder charges, O’Brien’s team charged Smith with two counts of murder. They’ve also charged him with one count of domestic violence for the incident that precipitated the police call, and one count of having a weapon under disability.
Smith was legally barred from having a firearm at the time of the shooting. The man who supplied Smith with the gun used in the shooting pleaded guilty last year and was sentenced to five years in prison.
Smith’s fate is now in the hands of the jury, who will begin deliberating Friday.
