First witnesses called in murder trial of Scott Brooks’

CHARLOTTE — Jurors were selected and opening statements were made Friday in the murder trial of NoDa Sandwich Shop owner Scott Brooks.

Terry Conner and Steven Staples are accused of robbing and shooting Scott Brooks when he was about to open the restaurant six years ago.

Channel 9’s crime reporter Hunter Sáenz learned more about the timeline of the crime that happened about 4:40 a.m. on Dec. 9, 2019.

Prosecutors laid out a roadmap of their case against Staples and Conner, who were each charged with murder.

Prosecutor Heidi Perlman told the jury that Scott Brooks co-owned his business with his twin brother, David Brooks.

Scoot Brooks went to open the shop that morning and was ambushed by two men in gloves, ski masks and hoods, Perlman said. The suspects knew it was a cash-only business.

“He walked toward the front door with his keys, business as usual” Perlman said. “He thought he was alone but that morning, he encountered a different type of brotherhood. Terry Conner and Steven Staples also worked side-by-side like brothers and business partners. Their business, however, was taking things that didn’t belong to them. Their business was shooting when things didn’t go their way.”

Perlman said Scott Brooks spoke to his accused killers for 10 seconds while he was robbed.

The suspects then shot and killed Scott Brooks.

DNA evidence on one of the shell casings came back to Conner’s then-girlfriend, prosecutors said.

Cellphone records showed that Conner and Staples were near Brooks’ Sandwich House at the time of the deadly shooting.

The suspects’ defense attorneys said that does not put their clients at the scene during the crime.

“They’re going to say it’s close to the sandwich shop. Their expert can only give you a large arc where Mr. Staples could have been,” said defense attorney Laura Baker. “Close only counts in horseshoes, and hand grenades.”

“Mr. Conner is not guilty,” said defense attorney Kenneth Snow. “He is not guilty of robbery. He didn’t do anything. He didn’t kill anyone.”

The defense teams also argue there were no confessions, and no murder weapon were found.

However, prosecutors said not only will they prove Conner and Staples did the crime, they will also talk about a double homicide case both of them are charged in.

Bodycam shows first responders at murder scene of Brooks’ Sandwich House

Brooks murder trial: Bodycam shows first responders at murder scene

David Brooks took the stand and talked about the morning his twin brother was killed.

He remembered getting a call from the security company that the alarm was going off at his business.

He just thought his brother didn’t turn it off in time, so he called him.

Scott Brooks didn’t answer.

David Brooks told jurors that he got a call from his bread vendor to tell him something happened, and police were at the shop.

So, he rushed to the scene.

Jurors were also able to see the body camera video from one of the first responding officers.

Officers walked up to the scene and immediately asked, “Is that the owner of Brooks’?” as he instantly recognized him from working in the area.

“They do breakfast so they’re normally there early, prepping, ready for the breakfast crowd,” Said Officer Todd Mun, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

A man who lives next to Brooks’ also took the stand and walked jurors through the surveillance video his RING cameras captured that day.

It showed two people running away from the scene.

The restaurant was closed Friday so family members could be in court.

VIDEO: Prosecutors to use similar murder case as evidence in Brooks trial

Prosecutors to use similar murder case as evidence in Brooks trial