Opinion ID: 1607200
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Melvin Lipscomb Manslaughter

Text: Melvin Lipscomb, a twenty-two-year-old customer of John Doe, was killed in the early morning hours of August 27, 1996, at 1527 Northwest 58th Street. The testimony showed that Lipscomb sustained eleven gunshot wounds, including three fatal shots to the head and one to his chest. At least one of the head wounds was at close range. Lipscomb also had scrapes on the right side of the face, right elbow, and right knee, indicative of falling to the pavement. Lipscomb was found face down on the pavement. Toxicology reports indicated that Lipscomb had alcohol and cocaine in his system at the time he was shot. Various witnesses testified that Lipscomb was standing in line at the 58th Street drug hole, across the street from Smith's mother's house. Lipscomb apparently broke the drug hole rules by talking loudly. He also got into an argument with Antonio Godfrey, who was a gunman at this drug hole. Godfrey fired his gun at Lipscomb and chased him down the stairs and across the street. Julian Mitchell testified that he was the lieutenant at the hole the night that Lipscomb was killed. Mitchell saw Godfrey chasing Lipscomb and saw him shoot Lipscomb in Smith's yard across the street from the drug hole. He also testified that Smith advised Godfrey to lie low in order to avoid the police. Tricia Geter testified that Smith told her about Lipscomb's murder. Smith heard someone calling his name and pleading outside his house. When Smith came outside, his workers told him that Lipscomb had disrespected the hole. Smith responded to do his ass and Godfrey shot him.