CHARLOTTE — Adonis Smith is on trial for the 2019 shooting death of Kendal Crank, and Wednesday marked a significant moment as the first detective who spoke with Smith took the stand.
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Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Detective Michael Peacock went to a local hospital where he spoke with a man who was being treated for a gunshot wound.
This was a few hours after police said a shootout left the 27-year-old mother dead.
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“(Smith) said he was dropped off at the hospital in an SUV by a guy named Donis,” Peacock said.
Peacock said he found Smith near the entrance of the hospital and asked if he could talk to him.
“We talked briefly about the car he was driving, and he said he dropped the car off on Siegel Avenue,” Peacock said. “He then showed me where (it was) on a map on my phone.”
Smith then volunteered to be interviewed by detectives at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department headquarters, but on the way there, Peacock said Smith took them to the dumped SUV.
Prosecutors showed pictures of the black SUV they said Smith shot out of.
The SUV had multiple bullet holes after taking fire from men shooting at it from a nearby parking lot along North Tryon Street and East 28th Street.
Smith’s defense attorney tried to tell the jury that his client was cooperative that day.
Defense attorney: “You approached (Smith). He didn’t try to run.”
Peacock: “He did not.”
Defense attorney: “He didn’t try to hide.”
Peacock: “He did not.”
Defense attorney: “(Smith) didn’t give you a fake name.”
Peacock: “He did not.”
Defense attorney: “(Smith) went to voluntary interview.”
Peacock: “He did.”
Defense attorney: “(Smith) took you to the car.”
Peacock: “He did.”
The defense attorney also raised doubts about the police investigation and noted that detectives never called crime scene investigators to the scene where the black SUV was found.
“You made the decision not to take photos of the vehicle at the scene where you found it?” the defense attorney asked.
“I did not, but I did document it on paper that it was the same match of the vehicle that Adonis Smith, literally, took me to find it,” Peacock said.
Peacock told the jury he had to juggle waiting for CSI to get to that scene or risk losing the voluntary interview with Smith.
He told the jury the longer time went on, the riskier it was for Smith to change his mind and not talk to police.
The jury is expected to watch the interview Smith did with detectives at some point during the trial.
VIDEO: Kendal Crank case: Witness describes deadly shootout
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