Self-defense claimed as trial starts in Jeannette fatal shooting
May 1—A fatal shooting on a Jeannette street two years ago started as an argument between two friends over the potential robbery of two strangers, a prosecutor told a jury Monday.
Westmoreland County Assistant District Attorney Jim Lazar said Stuart Ali, 47, of Jeannette fired as many as 10 shots at his friend, 43-year-old Marcus Davis, when an early-morning argument between the men spilled out into intersection of Gaskill Avenue and North Seventh Street.
"Marcus Davis was executed on a street corner in Jeannette in April 2021," Lazar said during his opening statement to the jury in Ali's criminal homicide trial. "He shot him 10 times, once through the back and into his head, then nine other shots went into his body and he (Davis) was left in an intersection by a person he thought was his friend, Stuart Ali."
Lazar claimed evidence will prove that Ali committed first-degree murder. Ali also is charged with the illegal possession of a firearm.
The prosecution claims Ali, his adult son and Davis visited two bars in Greensburg and at their last stop they met and struck a deal with a man and his girlfriend who were out celebrating a birthday. Lazar said the group agreed to continue their celebration together. Ali was to have sex with the woman after Davis helped to facilitate the purchase of cocaine for her boyfriend.
With Ali driving, the group traveled to Jeannette where Davis took the couple's money, went into a local apartment and returned with drugs, according to the prosecutor. Lazar said an argument erupted between Ali and Davis over whether to follow through with the drug transaction.
The fight intensified and spilled out into the street as the couple fled the vehicle. Lazar said Ali pulled out a gun, shot and killed Davis and fled in his car.
Defense attorney Jim Robinson told jurors Ali feared for his life and was justified when he fired the fatal shots.
"It was necessary to protect himself," Robinson said. "He had to do this to prevent getting killed or serious injuries. The reason why Mr. Davis was killed was because of his actions that required my client to stand his ground and protect himself."
Robinson said the gun used in the shooting belonged to Davis, and that Ali wrestled the weapon away from his friend during the fight.
Zoey Pawlak, 25, of Greensburg told jurors she and her boyfriend met Ali and Davis outside a Greensburg bar at closing time and made the deal for sex and drugs to prolong their partying. She said the fight between the men, seated in the front seat of Ali's car, started as they drove through Jeannette following Davis' drug purchase.
"Marcus Davis and Stuart Ali argued, and we jumped out of the car and started running," Pawlak testified.
Two neighbors testified they heard multiple shots fired, but neither said they saw the shooting.
The trial continues Tuesday before Common Pleas Judge Christopher Feliciani.
Rich Cholodofsky is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Rich by email at rcholodofsky@triblive.com or via Twitter .
