TOLEDO, Ohio — The trial for two men accused in the murder of 3-year-old Malachi Barnes on Thanksgiving of 2018 started at the Lucas County Courthouse Monday.
The defense and the prosecution spent the all day Monday questioning possible jurors.
Kveon Giles and Matthew Smith are facing aggravated murder, murder charges as well as two counts of felonious assault each.
Smith was 17 years old at the time but is being tried as an adult.
Police say Anthony Barnes was driving northbound on I-75 on Nov. 22, 2018, with his three children when a vehicle pulled alongside them and began shooting at their car.
Barnes' 3-year-old son, Malachi, suffered a gunshot wound and later died at the hospital.
Prosecutors say the shooting was retaliation in an ongoing feud, although the intended target wasn’t in the vehicle.
His father said outside the courthouse Monday that it has been a long road to get here.
"Ain’t nothing the same," he said. "Everything’s kind of like just swept under the curb and you know I have to keep his name alive and do the best I can to be strong. Justice for Malachi man, he lives through us, especially through me."
The third defendant in this case, Andre White, changed his plea to guilty earlier this month on lesser charges of complicity to involuntary manslaughter and complicity to felonious assault.
Jury selection is scheduled to resume Tuesday at 9:00 a.m.
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