When the 174th District Court’s ruling was read out, Campbell had no apparent reaction. He gave his little brother a handful of belongings and began writing notes. The punishment stage soon began with testimony from Campbell’s brother and his ex-wife defending his character.
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His ex-wife told the court that Campbell was a good father and would be a welcome addition to his two children’s lives if released.
Defense attorney Murray Newman showed the jury a photograph of his client with his children.
Prosecutors were unable to call witnesses for the prosecution stage. Haney was a well-known member of Houston’s famous Urban Her Animals roller skating group, but had no living relatives. The Harris County Forensic Institute was initially unable to identify Haney until a phone number was found in his possession to testify to witness Randy Croft.
Croft considered Haney a family friend for many years and kept some of his belongings in his garage.
Defense attorneys said many of the criminal investigations lacked context, and that evidence that might have shed light on what preceded the shootings has long been lost.
Surveillance footage shows lead-up and shooting
Surveillance footage, recorded more than 60 feet away, began with Campbell walking away from the camera and already arriving in Washateria — about 24 hours after encountering Haney, he called 911 and said, Police sought help. Police said they had previous 911 calls, surveillance footage, or body-worn camera footage from dispatched officers that could explain why the two men acted as they did. did not collect No crime report was created from the previous incident.
Surveillance footage captured shows a man leaning against a parked Jeep and Haney shuffling out of a folding camping chair asking for cigarettes from a man packed in a shopping cart. The situation was reflected. As Haney returned to her folding camp chair, Campbell stepped into the camera’s field of view and confronted Haney, who sat down and Campbell quickly, without provocation, overturned her shopping cart. . The contents spilled onto the concrete.
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Haney jumped up and stood directly across from Campbell. Within seconds, Campbell fired a single shot, fatally hitting Haney in the neck. he died on the pavement.
Campbell testified and expressed remorse for the shooting.
A man gives Haney a cigarette when he hears the gunshot and hides behind a pillar. He walked out of the parking lot on foot, but police could not find him with the statement, detectives said.
The man likely heard any words exchanged between Haney and the guards before the shooting. The detective admitted that his views on what he had heard were relevant to the investigation.
Defense seeks leniency before sentencing
The murder charge stems from Campbell’s recollection of a shooting different from what the homicide investigators saw on video.
Security guards claim Haney approached him aggressively, but after watching the video, investigators didn’t believe that to be the case.
Assistant District Attorney Edward Appelbaum said Haney was practically minding his own business when Campbell decided to confront him and overturn a shopping cart with his belongings.
“It’s his life. His fruit, his clothes, his laundry detergent,” said Appelbaum. “That’s all Michael Haney had.”
Appelbaum admitted that jurors were likely to feel sorry for Campbell, who had no criminal record prior to his arrest.
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“I know he doesn’t look like your average killer,” he said of the 5-foot-2 Campbell.
Newman accepted their sympathy and encouraged them to release Campbell.
“I can feel the sympathy and understanding for Michael Haney and where he was in his life, and I can feel that he didn’t deserve to die,” Newman said in his closing statement.
The defense portrayed Campbell as someone who had no business working as an armed security guard.Newman argued that police officers undergo more than six months of training to become law enforcement officers. His client was given days and he worked for about a year.
This story will be updated.
nicole.hensley@chron.com