Hitman's testimony helps Milwaukee County jury convict man in 2016 killing
Eric Bills has long maintained he didn’t fatally shoot Jemell McMillan nearly seven years ago.
He also denied ordering a hitman to kill a witness after she told police she saw Bills pull the trigger.
Bills and the hitman faced off this week in a Milwaukee County courtroom.
On Friday, jurors delivered a message: the hitman's story was more believable.
The jury deliberated just 2½ hours before returning a guilty verdict against Bills, 38. He was convicted of first-degree intentional homicide in McMillan's slaying.
Prosecutors say Bills shot and killed McMillan, 36, during an argument in the 3300 block of North 37th Street on Sept. 29, 2016. The crime was carried out in front of several people, including Britany N. Jackson, who spoke with police about the shooting and later turned up dead.
Bills' trial began Monday.
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Here’s what happened that night
A witness told police McMillan was talking on a cellphone while sitting in a vehicle when a pickup truck parked behind him, according to a criminal complaint.
The witness saw the driver get out of the pickup truck, pull a gun and shoot several times at McMillan, continuing to fire even as McMillan fell to the ground, the complaint says. The driver was identified as Bills, according to police.
Jackson wasn’t named in the complaint as a witness. However, the witness helping police was identified by the initials BJ, along with a birthdate and “she/her” pronouns. Prosecutors allege Bills was able to figure out Jackson had spoken with police and told Deruntae Mason to kill her.
"Bills needed her off the street," Assistant District Attorney Michael Lonski said, pointing to the defendant. "He needed her dead."
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Eyewitness accounts, credibility issues
Key testimony during the trial came from Mason. He told jurors he, Jackson and another man saw Bills fatally shoot McMillan that night. Mason testified he was acting on orders from Bills when he shot Jackson, 26, three weeks after McMillan was slain. A man who was with Jackson also was shot, but survived. Mason was sentenced to 22 years in prison and 13 years of extended supervision for killing Jackson.
"I wouldn't have never done none of this if it wasn’t for the fact … my family wasn't safe," Mason testified.
Defense attorney Meera L. Al-Henaey said authorities didn't find any DNA or fingerprint evidence tying Bills to the crime scene. Mason also changed his story to police several times and his testimony shouldn't be trusted, she said.
"If you can't believe Mr. Mason … you have to find Mr. Bills not guilty," Al-Henaey said.
Here's what's next for Bills
Bills was remanded into custody. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 16.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Hitman's testimony helps Milwaukee County jury convict man in 2016 killing
