Defense for Alabama murder suspect cites 'stand your ground' law

(Reuters) - An Alabama man charged with stabbing his cousin to death inside the victim's home was lawfully standing his ground, his lawyers told jurors in a trial that concluded its second day on Tuesday, while prosecutors called him a murderer. Kenny Dewayne Adams, 36, is charged with one count of murder in the Dec. 31, 2012, death of Yancy Metz Foster, 34, who was his cousin and neighbor. Alabama is among more than 20 states that have enacted a "stand your ground" self-defense law since Florida's contentious measure took effect in 2005. Limestone County District Attorney Brian Jones said the incident appeared to stem from Adams lending Foster a DVD box set of the first two installments in "The Fast and the Furious" movie franchise that the defendant was eager to retrieve, Adams' true source of anger, however, may have been a suspected affair between his wife and the victim, Jones said. Among those taking the stand for the prosecution over two days of testimony was the victim's 9-year-old son, who told jurors that Adams threatened to kill Foster five days before the altercation, Jones said. Also testifying was Ronald Foster, the victim's father, who described seeing Adams fatally stab his son, Jones said. The defense called no witnesses, and closing arguments are expected on Wednesday, Jones said. Adams' attorneys sought unsuccessfully last week to have the case dismissed, asserting that the killing was legal under Alabama's 2006 "stand your ground" law. The defense argues that the two men got into a fight and that Adams stabbed Foster in self-defense. Harlan Mitchell and Michael Sizemore, Adams' lawyers, did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment. (Reporting by Jonathan Kaminsky; Editing by Peter Cooney)