Ernest Williams Jr., 24, of Montclair, is accused of killing 21-year-old Brian Schiavetti on July 22, 2012
NEWARK -- The image of Brian Schiavetti lingered on a TV screen in the Newark courtroom.
Wearing a T-shirt, shorts and flip-flops, Schiavetti's lifeless body laid in the hallway of a Montclair apartment building. A trail of blood stretched from the back of his head and a chain rested in his hand, including a cross and a medallion his mother had given him.
Jurors looked at that picture on Tuesday when the attorneys delivered their closing statements in the trial of Ernest Williams Jr., 24, of Montclair, who is facing murder, robbery and related charges in connection with the July 22, 2012 fatal shooting of Schiavetti.
The incident occurred after Schiavetti and a friend made the roughly 90-minute trip from their hometown of Ridgefield, Conn. to purchase oxycodone pills from Williams.
Turner's attorney, Sterling Kinsale, told jurors Williams was acting in self-defense. Kinsale claimed Schiavetti, 21, produced the handgun and that he was killed when the two men wrestled over the weapon and the gun went off.
"It's a life and death struggle," said Kinsale, adding that Williams was "fighting for his life."
But Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Naazneen Khan said there was no struggle. According to Khan, Williams robbed Schiavetti and then executed him as Schiavetti was running away.
"There was a fight that night, but the fight was for Brian to get out of there with his life, and this defendant dropped him as he ran," Khan told the jury. "This was not a tussle. This was an execution."
MORE: Accused drug deal killer claims victim had gun, died during struggle
Williams and Schiavetti were put in touch that day through Williams's co-defendant, James Pitts, who is the son of Essex County Undersheriff James Pitts. Pitts pleaded guilty last year to a drug charge and is expected to be sentenced to 364 days in jail.
Pitts and Williams were neighbors in Montclair, and Pitts met Schiavetti as a fellow student at Villanova University in Pennsylvania, Khan said. After Williams contacted Pitts about selling the drugs, Pitts connected him to Schiavetti, Khan said.
At the time, Schiavetti was hanging out with Connor Gore and three other friends in Ridgefield, according to Gore, who testified during the trial. Schiavetti and his friends then pooled together $900, and he and Gore drove to Montclair to meet Williams, Gore said.
When Gore and Schiavetti met Williams on the street, Williams got in the back seat of Gore's vehicle and directed them to the building at 25 Williams Street, where Williams claimed the pills were located, Gore said.
After Williams led Schiavetti into the building, Gore said he heard two gun shots moments later and then drove off. Gore said he called 911 and the operator indicated police were already responding to the scene. Gore said he ultimately called his parents, and they picked him up in a parking lot at Montclair State University.
During her closing statement, Khan argued Williams never had any drugs that day and said the incident was a "setup" to steal money from Schiavetti.
Khan noted how Pitts and Williams's cousin testified during the trial that Williams had confessed to them that he brought the handgun and tried to rob Schiavetti and, when Schiavetti tried to grab the gun, Williams fatally shot him.
"Ladies and gentlemen, these are the defendant's close friends and family," Khan said.
But Kinsale attacked the credibility of the cousin and Pitts.
Kinsale suggested detectives coerced the cousin into telling the story about Williams's alleged confession. He said Pitts was "totally biased" and only gave a statement after his plea agreement was in place, saying Pitts was "in trouble himself and glad to be out of trouble."
Kinsale maintained Schiavetti brandished the handgun at the meeting, claiming he likely brought the handgun to protect himself.
"Don't put it beyond these guys to bring a gun for protection, even if it's just to have it," said Kinsale, referring to Gore and Schiavetti. Kinsale added "it's not beyond believability."
Kinsale also questioned how Gore did not initially provide details of his involvement to the police, and he suggested Gore's behavior immediately after the shooting indicates he knew Schiavetti had a gun.
Khan countered that Gore left the area like other people in the neighborhood did after hearing the gun shots. If Schiavetti had the gun, Gore would have thought Schiavetti fired the weapon and he would have remained at the scene as the "getaway driver," Khan said.
The attorneys also clashed over the meaning behind the locations of Schiavetti's injuries, particularly the fatal wound to the back of his head.
Kinsale said Schiavetti was below Williams and he suggested the injuries were consistent with the struggle described by Williams. Kinsale claimed the medical examiner did not resolve whether the shooting occurred at a close or long range.
Khan argued Williams was higher than Schiavetti in the stairwell, but that he had to be more than two feet away from Schiavetti when he fired the fatal shot.
"That's the only conclusion that this wound supports and that is a murder," Khan said.
Bill Wichert may be reached at bwichert@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillWichertNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.