A Pitt County jury didn’t take very long to convict a man for trying to have his wife killed.
James “Ed” Smith was found guilty of felony solicitation to commit first degree murder. He’s accused of offering a man $15,000 last summer to kill his wife.
The jury took 25 minutes to come back with their verdict.
Testimony in the week long trial wrapped up Thursday. Included in the state’s evidence was a video recording of Smith bargaining a price with the man he tried to hire for the killing.
Smith was sentenced to serve between six and eight years in state prison. The judge said he would be eligible for work release.
A Pitt County prosecutor said a Greenville man negotiated his wife’s murder like he was selling a car.
Closing arguments got underway this morning in the murder-for-hire trial of James “Ed” Smith.
Greenville police charged the 36-year-old Smith with felony solicitation to commit first degree murder last summer. He’s accused of offering a man $15,000 to kill his wife.
Testimony in the case wrapped up Thursday, where Sara Whitehurst, the woman reportedly involved with the defendant, answered questions to determine if she could have been the reason he wanted his wife dead.
Prosecutors also showed the jury wiretap video, where you could occasionally see Smith and hear him negotiate his wife’s murder, offering Clay Edwards $15,000 for his wife’s life.
“Then this man says, “If I give you 15 thousand out the door and you never come back for nothing else, 15 thousand out the door,” and he’s negotiating the murder of his wife like he’s selling a car, that’s what you’re dealing with right here,” Assistant District Attorney Anthony Futrell told jurors this morning.
Smith’s attorney, Les Robinson, told jurors that the state left out key information in their case and that should provide them with reasonable doubt as to whether Smith is actually guilty.
Robinson claims the man who Smith asks to kill his wife had a motive. The defense attorney told jurors that Clay Edwards needed money and said he wanted to “mess” with Edwards to see what he could get out of him.
Robinson says that if anything, the conversation between the two was just “tough talk or a joke”.
Smith did not take the witness stand during his trial. If convicted, he could face between six and eight years in jail.
Prosecutors in a murder for hire case wrapped up testimony Thursday morning and the man accused of trying to hire someone to kill his wife never took the stand.
However, the woman who had a relationship with the defendant did, answering questions to determine if she could have been the reason he wanted his wife dead.
Sara Whitehurst, 23, took the stand saying she met Ed Smith, 35, back in April of 2017, where she worked at a fitness center and Smith and his wife were members.
“We talked every day, our relationship to me is going out with a person, hanging out with them every day, going out on dates, I don’t think we had that, I feel like it was more like a fling,” she says.
She told the court she knew Ed was married and they just hung out, but they traveled to Morehead City almost every Friday to eat lunch.
Prosecutors showed surveillance video of a visit to his office at an apartment complex, which showed them hug and then head upstairs to the bedrooms.
“We both said we loved each other, but honestly I think we said it in the heat of the moment, and once it’s said, you can’t take it back,” Whitehurst testifies.
Les Anderson, Smith’s defense attorney, asked if he spoke about his wife to her.
“Yes, he always talked about how great of a mother she was,” Whitehurst says.
After 30 minutes on the stand, prosecutors showed the jury the wiretap video again, which you could see Smith at times and hear him negotiate his wife’s murder, offering Clay Edwards $10,000 for his wife’s life.
Judge J.C. Cole concluded the trial before noon Thursday, asking jurors to return for closing arguments and deliberations at 9:30 a.m. Friday.
If Smith is convicted, he could face between 73 to 100 months in jail.
A man accused in a murder-for-hire scheme did not take the witness stand during his trial
James “Ed” Smith is has been on trial this week after Greenville police say he offered a man $15,000 to kill his wife last summer.
The state wrapped up testimony late Thursday morning and the defense called no witnesses.
Detective Ritchie Pearce took the stand on Wednesday, testifying Clay Edwards, who testified Tuesday, wore a wire for officials and met with Smith to discuss the best ways to kill Smith’s wife.
Pearce says, “Initially the plan was a suicide during the meet Clay said it changed some. He said he didn’t know if that was the best option or not, So they talked about various other means. Whether that would be a tussle.”
This morning, Sara Whitehurst testified that she and Smith had a “fling” from last April to July, after the two met at a gym where she worked. Whitehurst said anytime Smith would mention his wife it was always good things said.
The judge excused jurors for the rest of the day and told them to return Friday morning for final arguments and instructions.
If convicted, Smith could be sent to prison for between 6 years and 8 years, four months.
A man accused of trying to hire someone to kill his wife did not take the stand Wednesday during day two of this murder for hire trial.
However, jurors did hear testimony from a police detective who started investigating this case.
This past summer, Greenville Police charged 35-year-old James “Ed” Smith, with felony solicitation to commit first degree murder.
Prosecutors say Smith tried to hire a man to kill his wife.
Detective Ritchie Pearce took the stand, testifying Clay Edwards, who testified Tuesday, wore a wire for officials and met with Smith to discuss the best ways to kill Smith’s wife.
Pearce says, “Initially the plan was a suicide during the meet Clay said it changed some. He said he didn’t know if that was the best option or not, So they talked about various other means. Whether that would be a tussle.”
The defense also had the opportunity to cross examine detective Pearce.
They asked Pearce about whether he knew of Edwards criminal records and the details of his specific notes on the case.
The defense really focused on whether Edwards could be considered an honest witness, and asked detective Pearce several times whether he trusts Edwards. Pearce says he does trust Edwards in this case.
Another witness is expected to take the stand Thursday when the trial starts back up again in the morning.
PREVIOUS STORY:
Jurors saw a video recorded by Greenville police on the first day of a trial in which a man is accused of trying to have his wife killed.
Testimony began Tuesday in the trial for James “Ed” Smith at the Pitt County Courthouse.
Last summer, Greenville police charged the 35-year-old man with felony solicitation to commit first degree murder.
Prosecutors say the man Smith tried to hire was wearing a police wire when the two discussed how Smith’s wife would be killed.
In a video played to jurors, Clay Edwards discussed with Smith how to make the woman’s death look like a suicide or like someone broke into her car.
They also discussed a price back and both, finally setting on $15,000.
There’s no word yet on how long the trial will last.