Prosecutors say they may never know why Cydrisse Alvin stabbed her best friend Amber Lynette Kent. But during opening arguments on Wednesday, Attorney Laura Worm told jurors that the evidence will show that Alvin stabbed Kent three times, twice in the back.
Alvin’s defense attorneys say that their client is a “convenient scapegoat” for the actual killer, Kent’s boyfriend Lamarzs Wilson, who was present at the incident, along with Kent’s six-year-old daughter. Attorney Dominique Winters alleged that Wilson stabbed Kent after she erupted in drug-fueled anger in her apartment on June 4, 2012.
Alvin, 31, is charged with first-degree premeditated murder while armed. Jurors heard opening statements Wednesday afternoon in the murder trial against Alvin, who is also known as Meeka.
On the first day of testimony Kent’s uncle, James Ford, told jurors that at the time Kent was killed, he lived in her apartment along with his girlfriend. Kent’s boyfriend, Wilson, and her daughter lived there also.
Ford said Alvin spent time at Kent’s apartment nearly every day and that Kent and Alvin often walked their daughters to school together. At some point, Ford said, Alvin and Kent began using prescription pills together.
About “a month or two” before Kent’s death, Ford advised Kent that the friends should give each other some space because of their constant “bickering.” Later, after an argument over $40, Kent told Ford that she was going to stop hanging out with Alvin, Ford said Wednesday.
Three weeks later, Ford said he woke up to someone yelling “Meeka, what are you doing?” and he heard a “boom.” Moments later, Wilson entered Ford’s bedroom holding Kent’s daughter, he said.
“[He] was holding her with both hands and he gave her to me,” Ford testified, “and he said, ‘Call 911, Meeka just stabbed Amber!’”
Tatjana Savoy, MPD Officer, testified Wednesday that she was the first officer to arrive to Kent’s apartment on June 4, 2012. On the scene, Savoy found Kent unresponsive, laying face down on the kitchen floor in a pool of blood, she testified.
Savoy said she spoke with Wilson, describing him as “a mess” and “very distraught.” He told her that “Meeka stabbed Amber,” adding that Meeka’s real name was Cydrisse Alvin, she said.
The trial will resume at 10 a.m. before Judge Ronna Beck.
