Criminal Trial Begins For Antonio Goodwin

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The criminal trial for Antonio Goodwin started this week. Looks like his defense attorney is trying to pull in Auburn's coaches as witnesses and even the results from Auburn's drug testing program. Auburn said no to the drug test results without an OK from the persons tested. I really dislike seeing Auburn pulled into this more.

By: Ed Enoch | Opelika-Auburn News

Published: April 10, 2012

Updated: April 10, 2012 - 8:28 PM

Prosecutors say Antonio Goodwin was armed when he and three other former Auburn University football players robbed an Auburn residence in 2011, but his attorney claims no fingerprint or DNA evidence exists to link him to the crime.

Goodwin, Shaun Kitchens, Michael McNeil and Dakota Mosley are charged with multiple counts of first-degree robbery, first-degree burglary and third-degree theft of property for an alleged home invasion at a residence in Conway Acres mobile home park in Auburn on March 11, 2011.

Goodwin, who has pleaded not guilty, is the first of the four to be tried. Kitchens, Mosley and McNeil remain tentatively scheduled for trial in June.

During opening statements Tuesday afternoon, the district attorney’s office focused on the arrest of Goodwin and the other former players minutes after the robbery occurred and the recovery of stolen items and a handgun from their car.

The district attorney’s office claims the four, who were dismissed from the AU football team the day of their arrests, drove to the mobile home in Auburn with the intent to rob the residence.

“They decided they were going to get a lick,” Assistant District Attorney Kenny Gibbs said. “That means rob somebody.”

Goodwin’s attorney, Lauryn Lauderdale, reminded jurors her client’s fingerprints and DNA were not found on the evidence collected from the car, a fact confirmed by analysts with the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences and the Alabama Bureau of Investigation who testified Tuesday. Lauderdale said the state had to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that her client used force and a weapon during the robbery.

During his opening remarks, Gibbs said Goodwin, McNeil and Kitchens entered the home wearing masks made from shirts to partially hide their faces and forced the mix of AU and Southern Union State Community College students at the residence to gather in the living room and give up their cellphones while the players retrieved a handheld safe from one of the bedrooms. Goodwin allegedly watched the victims at gunpoint, while McNeil, also armed with a handgun, and Kitchens grabbed the handheld safe, Gibbs said. Mosley remained with the getaway car, he said.

Gibbs said the ordeal lasted about five minutes, and the victims called Auburn police with a description of the getaway car and suspects.

Police stopped the players’ Chrysler 300 after it pulled into a driveway on Wire Road and turned off its lights, which Gibbs claims raised officers’ suspicions. In the car, officers found a .45-caliber Hi-Point handgun and the stolen safe and cellphones.

While Goodwin’s fingerprints and DNA were not found on the recovered items, Gibbs said the defendant was identified soon after the robbery by the victims.

“They were apprehended within minutes of this robbery,” Gibbs said. “It’s just that simple, ladies and gentlemen.”

Tuesday morning, Lee County Circuit Court Judge Chris Hughes denied multiple motions for continuance by Lauderdale, who sought more time to review evidence including documents related to drug testing of student-athletes at AU.

Lauderdale subpoenaed drug test results for AU athletes, testing policy documents and guidelines along with head football coach Gene Chizik, assistant football coach Trooper Taylor, baseball coach John Pawlowski and AU Athletics Department staff as witnesses. Lauderdale specifically mentioned spice, a synthetic marijuana, in her filing. She previously said her client had used spice near the time of the robbery.

The smokable drug was discussed briefly during Lauderdale’s cross examination of state’s witnesses including AU football player Anthony Morgan, who testified the drug was discussed during a team meeting in 2010, and an analyst with the state forensics lab who testified residue found in the stolen safe tested positive for marijuana and not spice.

The state banned spice last year when Gov. Robert Bentley signed an executive order making possession and sale illegal.

Lauderdale said she received Goodwin’s results and some policy documents Tuesday afternoon from AU.

Attorneys for Auburn University said it was willing to release general policy documents but would not grant a blanket release of student records on drug testing, citing a need to obtain permission from students for the release of the results.

The trial will resume Wednesday morning at the Lee County Justice Center.

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[AUBURNJAC 53]

The criminal trial for Antonio Goodwin started this week. Looks like his defense attorney is trying to pull in Auburn's coaches as witnesses and even the results from Auburn's drug testing program. Auburn said no to the drug test results without an OK from the persons tested. I really dislike seeing Auburn pulled into this more.

By: Ed Enoch | Opelika-Auburn News

Published: April 10, 2012

Updated: April 10, 2012 - 8:28 PM

Prosecutors say Antonio Goodwin was armed when he and three other former Auburn University football players robbed an Auburn residence in 2011, but his attorney claims no fingerprint or DNA evidence exists to link him to the crime.

Goodwin, Shaun Kitchens, Michael McNeil and Dakota Mosley are charged with multiple counts of first-degree robbery, first-degree burglary and third-degree theft of property for an alleged home invasion at a residence in Conway Acres mobile home park in Auburn on March 11, 2011.

Goodwin, who has pleaded not guilty, is the first of the four to be tried. Kitchens, Mosley and McNeil remain tentatively scheduled for trial in June.

During opening statements Tuesday afternoon, the district attorney’s office focused on the arrest of Goodwin and the other former players minutes after the robbery occurred and the recovery of stolen items and a handgun from their car.

The district attorney’s office claims the four, who were dismissed from the AU football team the day of their arrests, drove to the mobile home in Auburn with the intent to rob the residence.

“They decided they were going to get a lick,” Assistant District Attorney Kenny Gibbs said. “That means rob somebody.”

Goodwin’s attorney, Lauryn Lauderdale, reminded jurors her client’s fingerprints and DNA were not found on the evidence collected from the car, a fact confirmed by analysts with the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences and the Alabama Bureau of Investigation who testified Tuesday. Lauderdale said the state had to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that her client used force and a weapon during the robbery.

During his opening remarks, Gibbs said Goodwin, McNeil and Kitchens entered the home wearing masks made from shirts to partially hide their faces and forced the mix of AU and Southern Union State Community College students at the residence to gather in the living room and give up their cellphones while the players retrieved a handheld safe from one of the bedrooms. Goodwin allegedly watched the victims at gunpoint, while McNeil, also armed with a handgun, and Kitchens grabbed the handheld safe, Gibbs said. Mosley remained with the getaway car, he said.

Gibbs said the ordeal lasted about five minutes, and the victims called Auburn police with a description of the getaway car and suspects.

Police stopped the players’ Chrysler 300 after it pulled into a driveway on Wire Road and turned off its lights, which Gibbs claims raised officers’ suspicions. In the car, officers found a .45-caliber Hi-Point handgun and the stolen safe and cellphones.

While Goodwin’s fingerprints and DNA were not found on the recovered items, Gibbs said the defendant was identified soon after the robbery by the victims.

“They were apprehended within minutes of this robbery,” Gibbs said. “It’s just that simple, ladies and gentlemen.”

Tuesday morning, Lee County Circuit Court Judge Chris Hughes denied multiple motions for continuance by Lauderdale, who sought more time to review evidence including documents related to drug testing of student-athletes at AU.

Lauderdale subpoenaed drug test results for AU athletes, testing policy documents and guidelines along with head football coach Gene Chizik, assistant football coach Trooper Taylor, baseball coach John Pawlowski and AU Athletics Department staff as witnesses. Lauderdale specifically mentioned spice, a synthetic marijuana, in her filing. She previously said her client had used spice near the time of the robbery.

The smokable drug was discussed briefly during Lauderdale’s cross examination of state’s witnesses including AU football player Anthony Morgan, who testified the drug was discussed during a team meeting in 2010, and an analyst with the state forensics lab who testified residue found in the stolen safe tested positive for marijuana and not spice.

The state banned spice last year when Gov. Robert Bentley signed an executive order making possession and sale illegal.

Lauderdale said she received Goodwin’s results and some policy documents Tuesday afternoon from AU.

Attorneys for Auburn University said it was willing to release general policy documents but would not grant a blanket release of student records on drug testing, citing a need to obtain permission from students for the release of the results.

The trial will resume Wednesday morning at the Lee County Justice Center.

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I'm with you... I hate to see AU dragged into this more b/c of the negative media coverage we will get. I really don't know what drug testing results have to do with anything. Personaly, I'm still shocked, disapointed and pissed that this ever happened in the first place!