Prosecutors play chilling Instagram message they said was made by Othal Wallace
Prosecutors played for the jury Tuesday a chilling audio message on an Instagram account they said was posted by Othal Wallace within a couple of hours of fatally shooting Daytona Beach police officer Jason Raynor.
The audio recording did not have an image, just a dark screen. But prosecutors said it was Wallace who made the audio recording after shooting Raynor.
“I want y’all to know something, man. I love y’all. I want y’all to know something, man,” the prosecutor read in court. “I love y’all. Black Power. Stay strong as a nation. Keep (expletive) fighting. Move (expletive) forward. Don't let these (expletive) pigs (expletive) with you. I love y'all. Black Power and Shalom," the man in the recording said.
Wallace, 31, was charged with first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Raynor on June 23, 2021. The 26-year-old Raynor remained hospitalized until his death on Aug. 17, 2021. If convicted, the state will seek the death penalty.
Othal Wallace trial underway: Here is a look back at important moments in the case
Wallace looked in the direction of the TV screen in front of him as the recording played.
After the audio ended, the screen showed a collection of pictures from the Instagram account.
Othal Wallace’s defense attorney, Terry Shoemaker, after the jury had left the courtroom, made a motion for mistrial because he opposed some of the photos shown at the end of the message. Among those pictures was one of a machete, an assault rifle and something that read "the New Black Panther Party." Shoemaker said the jury was not supposed to see anything that could indicate that Wallace was linked to the New Black Panther Party. He also objected to the picture of the assault rifle., which was only supposed to be entered into evidence by agreement.
Judge Raul Zambrano denied the motion for mistrial.
Othal Wallace's father testifies
Othal Wallace’s father, Oltha Wallace, who lives in Gainesville, testified Tuesday that he got a call from his son on the night of the shooting. He said his son told him he needed a “whip” which meant car. After the phone call, the father learned that a police officer had been shot. The father said he shut his phone down and did not want contact with his son.
Assistant State Attorney Jason Lewis asked him if his son had said he wanted to go to the border.
The father said his son said he wanted to leave.
Lewis referred the father to a deposition in which the father said Wallace had wanted to get to Texas.
After testifying, as the father walked out of the courtroom, Wallace seemed to motion at him with one of his hands as if in greeting.
The shooting of officer Jason Raynor
Raynor was patrolling in an area of Daytona Beach on June 23, 2021, when he walked up to Wallace.
Wallace was sitting in a car outside of an apartment building at 133 Kingston Ave., where he was living with his girlfriend and their children, according to reports.
Raynor walked up to Wallace and asked him if he lived there, body camera video showed. Wallace stood up out of the car and Raynor told him to sit back down, the video showed.
After Raynor told Wallace to sit down, the video became shaky and then ended.
Police said Wallace shot Raynor in the head. Raynor’s gun was found still in its holster.
Wallace was arrested on June 26, 2021, when a task force found him hiding in a treehouse in DeKalb County, Georgia, near Atlanta.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Othal Wallace's father testifies in son's murder trial
