By Bert Gambini
Buffalo, NY – The prosecution rested it case Tuesday, after calling 49 witnesses, in the trial of accused City Grill shooter Riccardo McCray.
The defense rested as well, however, defense attorney Joseph Terranova called no witnesses and McCray himself did not take the stand.
Closing arguments are scheduled for Thursday.
Judge Sheila DiTullio advised jurors that they could be sequestered if they fail to reach a verdict after the first day of deliberations.
During court proceedings Tuesday, Erie County prosecutors dropped one of the attempted murder charges against McCray.
McCray is charged with shooting to death four people outside the City Grill last August.
Final witnesses who testified included the mother of one of the men who helped drive McCray back to Buffalo from Charlotte, North Carolina. She blamed police for her son's death. Ahmen Lester was gunned down in a drive-by shooting on the East Side last September just a few weeks after McCray returned to the City.
Carlotta Lester did not want to testify and was arrested. While on the witness stand she denied talking to McCray's sister. Testimony also revealed that all the bullets fired during the massacre came from the same gun.