The government and defense lawyers gave opening statements on Tuesday, for the trial of Clifton Johnson charged with the alleged murder of Dwayne Grandson.

In his opening address to the jury, United States Attorney Richard Barker, said the case is about a man who “fired eight shots” at Dwayne Grandson. Barker described to the jury an emotional narrative of what allegedly happened the night Grandson was murdered.

Barker said it was at about 9 p.m. on Nov. 23, 2015, when Dwayne Grandson decided to walk his girlfriend Dominique home. On their way to Dominique’s house, the couple decided to pick some food at a local restaurant on the 2500 block of Pennsylvania Avenue SE.

When they sat in the restaurant, Johnson and his friend walked in to order food. When Johnson walked up to the counter Grandson got up from his chair and shook Johnson’s hand, in what Barker described as a “cordial interaction.”

According to Barker, Johnson immediately followed Grandson out the door. When Grandson realized he was being followed by Johnson, he immediately began to run away from him. Grandson fell on the ground when Johnson began to fire shots at him.

After Johnson “fired bullets,” he ran across the street. When police arrived, they tried to perform CPR on Grandson but he was unconscious. They also received a report that there was another individual who had been shot at the same location. The individual would later be identified as Johnson.

Lorraine Grandson, told the court her son Dwayne Grandson was a “good guy.” Who was “laid back” and a “homebody.”  Grandson told the jury when she arrived at the scene, she saw Dwayne “gargling” on the floor “instead of breathing.”

In court Tuesday, Defense Attorney Harry Tun told the jury if they look at the evidence they will see Johnson “was not the initial aggressor.”

He also told the jury his client is “guilty of carrying a pistol without a license,” but not “guilty of “first-degree murder.”

Tun told the jury the government will show a surveillance video, but reminded them the video “does not tell the whole story.”

During her testimony, Tjuana Price described Johnson as the “gentleman in the athletic wear” who she said fired shots at Grandson first.

According to Price, Grandson “said something” to Johnson, and Johnson smiled and nodded to Grandson. Price said the “interactions” were “quick.”

When Johnson and Grandson went outside, Price said she heard “5-6 gunshots.” As she turned around, she saw Johnson run across Pennsylvania Avenue. She told the jury she saw the “motion” of him shooting a gun.

When the government asked her to describe what else she saw, Price said she could not remember because she was “distraught for 6-7 months.”

According to Price, inside the restaurant “everybody froze.”  When asked by the government why she described Johnson as the “initial aggressor,” Price said because she did not see Grandson “firing back.”  She saw Johnson take a step toward Grandson, and “shoot him again.”

The trial is currently in progress, and will resume Wednesday.

The events that led to the death of Dwayne Johnson were described to the jury Wednesday by key witnesses presented by the government.

Dominique Massenburg, the man who gave Clifton a ride to the restaurant  the night he allegedly murdered Dwayne Grandson, testified in court Monday.

When asked to describe to the jury what he saw that night, Massenburg said he saw someone “walk up to him (Johnson)…and tap him.”

According to Massenburg, after Johnson grabbed his food he looked “nervous.”

Massenburg explained to the jury that he heard “first gun shot” then multiple shots. He also told the jury he did not see Johnson with a gun “at all.”

When the  government reminded Massenburg he testified to the grand jury, that he did not mention Johnson being “scared, ” Massenburg said at the time he had not  “seen the video.”

The government played the 9-1-1 tape of Johnson calling the police and telling them he had been shot. When the dispatcher asked Johnson who had shot him, his response was “I don’t fuckin’ know.”

Walter Collier, a representative from Shotspotter also testified in court Wednesday.  Shotspotter is a gunshot detection company that works with D.C. Police to give them location of where the gunshots happened.

Collier detected “seven gunshots…but could not tell who fired the shots.”

The government also called Tanya Harris as a witness. Harris was at the restaurant when Johnson allegedly shot Grandson. She describes the night as “traumatic.” When the government asked her how she felt, Harris said she was “distraught that night.”  She describes the interaction between Johnson and Grandson “friendly” and they were “talking back and forth” with each other

Johnson was charged with first-degree murder while armed and is still being held without bond. His trial resumes Thursday.

The medical examiner who performed the autopsy of Dwayne Grandson, confirmed to the jury Wednesday that Grandson died of gunshot wounds.

During his testimony, Assistant Medical Examiner Dr. Zabuli Ali told the jury he was able to determine Grandson was shot in the torso.

Ali found three entrance and exit wounds of gunshots in Grandson’s body. He appeared to be shot in his neck, thighs, chest and right side.

In a diagram presented by the government, Ali showed the jury where Grandson’s gunshot wounds were discovered. He also told them there were “scratches” on Grandson’s body the images on the left side of the diagram, indicate where bullets “occurred.” The ones on the right side of the diagram, are where bullets entered the “back of the chest.”’

Clifton Johnson was arrested in connection with Grandson’s murder and charged with second-degree murder while armed. He is being held without bond and his trial resumes next Wednesday.

The court moved forward Monday with a jury selection as they prepared to head to trial for Clifton Johnson, in his connection with  24-year-old Dwayne Grandson’s murder.

The judge told potential jurors that they “took an oath” and it is hers as well as the lawyers’ jobs to make sure they (jurors) are as unbiased as possible in this case. They were each given a note card to answer series of questions relating to whether they had a criminal history, felony charges and if they had “any relations” to Johnson, Grandson, or the lawyers.

Potential jurors who answered yes to knowing the lawyers in this trial were disqualified. Those who had family members that worked in law enforcement, including parole officers were also disqualified. At the end of the day, jurors were narrowed down from 20 to 12.

The government read to  jurors names of witnesses who would testify during trial beginning with Officer Jonathan Fleming, who was assigned to the scene the night of the shooting. Grandson’s mother Lorraine Grandson, Tjuana Price and Tanya Harris who were also at the scene when Grandson was murdered are also expected to testify.

Defense told the jury it would bring forth Detective Manuel Isaac Duvall, who investigated the case.

Johnson was arrested in November of 2015  in the 2500 block of Pennsylvania Avenue SE.

When police arrived at the scene, they found Grandson and Johnson suffering from gunshot wounds. They were immediately taken to a local hospital where Grandson died from his injuries.

Johnson is charged with first-degree murder while armed and carrying a pistol without a license. He is being held without bond as he awaits his trial to begin Tuesday.