The government and defense attorneys presented closing arguments in the trial of Derryck Decuir.

“[A] 15-year-old kid never got to graduate high school,” Prosecutor David Misler said. “Never had the opportunity to make a difference in the world.”

According to the government’s narrative, Mercer was paralyzed and laid on the ground “helpless” gasping for his last breaths after he was shot by Decuir. According to the government, the moment Decuir saw Mercer on the bus, he knew Mercer had something he wanted.

The government presented evidence alleging the shooting was the result of a robbery.

The prosecutors refuted the argument of self-defense.

“If you’re going to rob someone, you can’t claim self-defense if the person tries to fight back. Misler said.

In their closing arguments, the defense reminded the jury it “took an oath” and it had to be fair.

“We picked you to be in this jury because we knew you’d be fair,” Defense Attorney Dana Page said.

Page maintained the narrative that Decuir shot Mercer in self-defense.

“He shot Mr. Mercer, before Mr. Mercer could shoot him,” Page said.

According to the defense, Decuir did what the law allowed him to do. They also argued that Decuir did not see an innocent boy that night, but instead, a “big shotgun coming to take his life.”  

Decuir has been charged with first-degree murder while armed committed against a minor, attempted robbery while armed committed against a minor, possession of firearm during commission of a crime violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm. Decuir is still being held without bond and the jury has been deliberating since Tuesday.

The man on trial for allegedly killing a teenager in June 2015 continued to argue he did so in self-defense Thursday.

Derryck Decuir, charged with the murder of Malek Mercer, tried to clear up some of the inconsistencies between his initial conversations with police and his current testimony.

Decuir told the jury on Thursday that he saw Mercer pull a gun out of his bag. The government pressed Decuir for details of the gun, but Decuir said he could not remember the color.

Prosecutor Jeffrey Nestler, reminded Decuir he spoke Wednesday of an admiration for guns. Decuir told his lawyer during his testimony Wednesday that he loved guns, so the government suggested Decuir should have know which gun Mercer was holding.

The government played a video of Decuir conversing with his mother, denying that he committed the murder.

“I don’t even own a gun.” Decuir said. “I’m on probation.”

Decuir was questioned by police, and at one point was left alone and began to talk to himself. The government played the video of Decuir repeatedly saying he was not responsible for Mercer’s murder.

“I did not shoot that boy. They’re gonna hold me until they find the fuckin’ shooter,” Decuir said.

Decuir said he knew that he was being recorded, but did not know he could be heard.  The government suggested that Decuir was “putting on a show.”

Decuir had also told detectives he “stays away from guns” but told his lawyers in court on Wednesday that he “loved guns.” The government showed the jury pictures of Decuir and his guns from his facebook page.

Decuir is still being held without bond.

The trial resumes on Monday with closing statements.

Murder suspect Derryck Decuir told a jury on Wednesday he shot 16-year-old Malek Mercer out of fear for his own life, and never intended to kill the teen.

Decuir was charged with the murder of Mercer near a bus stop in June 2015.

Decuir was on his way back from his father’s funeral with two of his friends on the night of the shooting.

“It hurt, I was down but I was trying to stay strong for my sisters,” Decuir said during emotional testimony on Wednesday, when asked by his attorney how he felt that night.

Decuir said his friend asked one of Mercer’s friends for a cigarette, and Decuir told Mercer he had a belt just like the red one Mercer wore. Decuir and his friends then got on the bus and sat behind Mercer, but Decuir said it’s because he usually sits in the back of the bus. When the two groups of friends got off the bus at the same stop, Decuir said he didn’t intend to follow Mercer, he was just walking in that same direction.

Decuir said Mercer and his friend walking toward them and Mercer pulled a gun from his bag. At that moment Decuir said he “acted in self defense.”

“I saw the two young men walking in front of me. The young man pulled out a gun, and I shot him,” Decuir said.

Decuir told the jury he was afraid for his life and “shot first.”

When asked what happened next, Decuir said he fell.

“I fell because I was startled. It scared me, and it happened so quick,”  Decuir said. He said his intent wasn’t to kill Mercer.

On the night of his arrest, Decuir was taken to the homicide division. When he spoke to detectives, Decuir denied responsibility for the shooting and instead told police that he “heard a gun shot.” When asked why he lied, Mercer said he lied because he didn’t think there was a “self-defense law” in DC.

During his questioning with the police, Decuir was left in a room by himself where a video recording showed him repeating to himself that he “didn’t do it.”  He told the jury that he kept saying that because the murder was “eating up his conscious.”

Decuir also told the jury that he had purchased the gun to protect himself and his family.

The defense team asked Decuir why he had guns in his possession for protection if he didn’t know there was a self-defense law. Decuir said he was “willing to go against the law to protect the well being of me and my family.”

After the shooting, Decuir told his then girlfriend, Ashley Graves, to tell his friend to take his guns out his backyard because he did not want them at his step-mother’s house or around his sisters. Decuir also admitted in court that he denied shooting Mercer to Graves because he did not want her to think he was a “killer.”

Decuir also expressed remorse and said he felt bad for putting Graves and his friend, now in jail for removing the guns, through that situation.

Mercer is currently being held without bail. The trial will resume on Thursday.

Defense attorneys for Derryck Decuir continued their attempts Tuesday to prove their client acted in self defense when he shot 16-year-old Malek Mercer.

Attorneys continued questioned Rachaen Bethea, a friend of Mercer’s. Bethea’s younger brother was with Mercer the night of the shooting. The defense’s questions sought to prove Bethea had put a gun in Mercer’s bag, which Bethea denied.

According to the defense team, during Bethea’s interrogation by police after the shooting, he was on his phone and said “[I]f something was bagged on the scene, he could have been locked up.”  The defense attorneys suggested that Bethea was talking about a gun, but Bethea said he was talking about marijuana.

Next, witness Barbara Cole testified, who lived in a house near the 2800 block of 28th Street, SE, where Mercer was killed. Cole told the jury she heard noise that woke her up.

“When I looked out, I saw a body laying there so I called the police,” Cole said.

Another friend of Mercer’s, James Gaskins, also testified in front of the jury on Tuesday.  Gaskins was with Rachaen Bethea when his younger brother Tyshawn called to say Mercer had been shot.

When Gaskins arrived at the scene, he said he saw a bag next to Mercer, and it was open. He told the jury that he was talking to Mercer but Mercer was unresponsive.  He also said that when the police arrived, they handcuffed him.

Gaskins is currently on probation and was not permitted to go to the area of the shooting. He was arrested in Maryland earlier in 2015 for attempted first-degree murder arrested in D.C. for carrying a pistol without a license.

Gaskins said he violated the rules of his probation, but argued it was because he was concerned about his friend.

Decuir’s stepmother Lakisha Barrow testified. In her testimony, Barrow said the night of the shooting she was still reeling from the death of her husband, and was unaware of what happened until Decuir called her. Barrow said Decuir told her he was not responsible for Mercer’s death.

“Something just happened I didn’t do it, I just want to let you know before you see it on the news,” Barrow said Decuir told her.

Decuir is being held without bail. The trial will resume on Wednesday.