This morning a jury heard opening arguments in the trial of Raymond Roseboro, the 21-year-old accused of shooting 16-year-old Prince Okorie in November 2010.
Roseboro is accused of first-degree murder while armed as well as felony murder in connection with Okorie’s death.
Stephen Gripkey, the prosecutor in the case, said that Roseboro invited Okorie, who he knew, to walk with him to a nearby store on the afternoon of November 30. Two other friends walked with them. En route, Gripkey said, Roseboro shot Okorie in the back of the head and the face at close range.
No argument, fight or altercation proceeded the shooting, Gripkey said.
Okorie died on the sidewalk near the corner of 8th Street NW and Delafield Pl. NW in Petworth where he was shot about 4:30 pm.
The gun was never recovered. No fingerprints were found on the shell casing found at the scene.
But Roseboro’s attorney, James Rudasill, argued that could not have been the shooter.
By 4:20 p.m. Roseboro was being interviewed for a job training program at his home, said Rudasill, adding that Roseboro’s mother, girlfriend and interviewer will testify, he said.
At a preliminary hearing in Dec. 2010, MPD Homicide Detective Darin March said investigators believe Okorie was killed because of rumors that he was cooperating with the government’s investigation into the shooting death of Catholic University student Neil Godleski.
Eric Foreman, a close friend of Roseboro’s, is charged in the Godleski case.
In opening statement, Gripkey told the jury that they would not hear testimony regarding a motive for the killing.
