NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Two inmates testified against one of the four men accused of killing ODU student Chris Cummings.
Cummings was shot and killed at his off-campus house in June 2011.
A decade later, four men were charged in connection with his murder. Rashad Dooley is one of the men accused. He faces several charges, including first-degree murder, attempted robbery and aggravated malicious wounding.
A federal inmate continued his testimony Monday after being interrupted by a bomb threat.
The inmate explained a conversation he had with Dooley. He testified the conversation was at the Newport News City Jail in 2015.
The federal inmate said Dooley told him his friends were supposed to meet in a parking lot for weed. They ended up going to the “dude’s house” and robbed him. He was unsure if any money or weed was stolen. He told the juror he didn’t get a “very detailed” account of the crime, but he said Dooley said, “I was just the driver.”
He felt Dooley was coming to him because he was arrested for a similar crime. The inmate was involved, but never pulled the trigger. He said Dooley “wasn’t, like, bragging,” instead he was “trying to gain advice.”
Another inmate testified about a conversation with the defendant in the Chesapeake Correctional Facility. He said he didn’t know Dooley “from a can of paint.” The inmate said the pair grew close while serving time together.
At some point, the inmate said Dooley began asking questions about his case.
One day after court, the inmate said Dooley was glad that the trial was separated. According to the inmate, the defendant said, “they can’t put that gun in no one’s hand.”
He then testified Dooley said, “we was young… when we did this and they think I was just the driver.”
The inmate said Dooley kept him informed on his case, even sharing information from Korslund.
In one instance, the inmate said Dooley requested the local newspaper after it was dropped off at their block. He then ripped it up. The article revealed detail about Dooley’s case. The inmate said Dooley said, “no one seeing this.”
Assistant Commonwealth Attorney, Madeline Woodruff, was prosecuting the inmate at the time. He knew she was also handling Dooley’s case. He wrote her a letter asking for full immunity to reveal the conversation.
The inmate revealed in one letter that he was threatened and was “assaulted and beat up.” The assault left him with a black eye and multiple stitches.
He told the jury he was testifying because he had a conscience and soul.
Korslund asked him about his conscience and soul. He asked him about his lengthy criminal history and if that was with the same conscience.
A Chesapeake Sherriff’s custodian confirmed the pair was in jail for four months together.
The Commonwealth called an FBI special agent who testified about Kwaume Edwards, Dooley and Ahmad Watson’s phone records.
Dooley and Watson’s phones both pinged two blocks from the crime scene around 11 p.m.
Around 3:30 a.m., both phones pinged at a Hampton cell tower near Mercury Boulevard.
The special agent said the evidence is consistent with both phones being turned off shortly after the ping in Hampton. Watson’s phone has two inbound phone calls that never pinged to a cell tower, which the FBI special agent was evidence of the phone being turned off.
The next ping on the phones was in Hampton around 6 a.m.
Korslund asked the special agent if it was possible that his client was simply just sleeping. He agreed, but said it isn’t normal to have the phone completely off.
Edwards’ phone remained in Newport News until around 4 a.m. His cellphone was tracked traveling from Newport News to a cell tower blocked away from Cummings home around the time of the crime.
The defense rested its case around 2:30 p.m. Monday after two witnesses. The defense recalled the original investigator.
The defense also questioned a local attorney about the sentence reduction rule.
The judge read jury instructions to the panel of jurors.
They will come back Tuesday for closing arguments.