Mahogany Jackson, a Birmingham mother held against her will and tortured for hours before she was killed by a gunshot to the back of her head, was stripped, handcuffed, beaten, spit on and forced to perform sex acts at gunpoint, a detective testified on Monday.
The horrifying ordeal was recorded by some of the eight suspects are charged in Jackson’s death, police testified.
Authorities said Monday that Harris is the suspect they believe fired the fatal shot. A projectile was recovered from Jackson’s head.
Jackson leaves behind a 3-year-old daughter.
Five others are charged with felony murder – Teja Lewis, 26, Si’Niya McCall, 23, Giovannie Clapp, 23, Blair Green, 25, and Ariana Lashay Robinson,
23They are also accused of first-degree kidnapping and first-degree sodomy.
Additionally, Lewis and Clapp and are also charged with second-degree assault for allegedly pistol-whipping Jackson.
The three capital murder suspects are being held without bond.
The five suspects not charged with a capital offense appeared Monday before Jefferson County Judge Kechia Davis.
After hearing almost two hours of chilling testimony, the judge ruled there were no conditions under which the suspects could be released on bond that would keep the community safe, or even the suspects safe.
“The community is outraged,” Judge Davis said.
Lewis and Green also had their bonds on previous charges revoked – Lewis for discharging a firearm into an occupied building and Green for burglary.
Jackson’s mother, Gail Maddox Trotter, was in court for the testimony and visibly distraught throughout the proceedings.
“Obviously it was another difficult day for the family hearing that testimony,” said Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr.
“We assured them that we’re going to do the best we can to bring justice and hold them accountable for the horrific acts perpetrated against Mahogany.”
“This is a marathon, not a sprint,’’ Carr said of the trek toward justice.
Green testified that as investigators were at the site where Jackson’s body was found, a witness contacted police with details and videos of what had taken place.
That witnesses told police Harris told him he shot Jackson, and he identified all of those involved in Jackson’s abduction.
There were five videos in all, Green said. Most of the videos were recorded by McDowell, with portions of them also videoed by McCall.
The abduction began at the McMillon Avenue home of Pope, Green said.
Authorities said Jackson arrived at Pope’s home Saturday night with several of the suspects, all of whom she knew.
One of the videos – taken outside Pope’s house – showed Lewis and McCall stomping and spitting on Jackson.
Jackson was on the ground, Green testified, while she was repeatedly assaulted by several of the suspects.
At one point, Lewis was straddling Jackson while punching her in the head.
The video shows Jackson saying that her attackers “had won” and to just let her go.
In one of the videos, Green testified, Lewis was seen taking off Jackson’s shirt.