Jakiem Wilson
WAKE COUNTY -- The murder trial for a Wake county man accused of killing his wife then staging the crime scene is almost ready to go to the jury.
Jakiem Wilson admitted he killed his wife over a year ago. He insists it happened in a fit of rage, but prosecutors argue it was a carefully planned murder. Meanwhile, the defense tried to paint a picture of a man with an abused past who snapped.
Monday, Wilson’s relatives were in the crowd at the Wake County courtroom. Many took the witness stand to say the man they know wouldn’t intentionally kill his wife.
"I have seen times … that he would come -- if they had an altercation or something -- he would come to me crying very upset and try to talk to me about what he should do about the problem,” said the defendant’s cousin Nakita Burgess.
The murder trial for a Wake county man accused of killing his wife then staging the crime scene is almost ready to go to the jury.
Wilson’s youngest sister Shatonya believes the couple didn’t always have problems. She told jurors that at first her brother and sister-in-law had a loving relationship that eventually turned ugly.
"[His wife] Nneka would say something and she knew how to get under my brother's skin,” said Shatonya.
Jurors also heard from a defense psychiatrist who argued that Wilson has difficulty controlling his emotions. Dr. Manish Fozdar says that’s because the defendant’s childhood was filled with abuse.
His sisters told the court they grew up in a home with a short-tempered mom and alcoholic dad. Fozdar believes Wilson’s rage the day of the murder mirrored his upbringing. “That was the result of a certainly aroused, angry episode because of the violent passion,” he said.
The prosecution pressed their argument that the murder was planned, and asked Fozdar about a scenario similar to how Nneka died: She gets out of the shower, is asked to give her husband a kiss and then is stabbed.
"If that's the scenario, the generic scenario then the answer is ... that is a planned act,” replied Fozdar.
Wilson chose not to take the stand in his defense. Both sides will make their closing arguments on Tuesday. Wilson could face the death penalty if he’s convicted for first-degree murder.