Ed Thomas was found not guilty of open murder of former Eastern Michigan University football player Demarius Reed, armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery. The jury reached a verdict just before 6 p.m. today, MLive reports.
Thomas, a Detroit native, was in Ypsilanti with Kristopher Pratt the night Reed was murdered. Pratt admitted to shooting Reed during the trial last week and plead guilty to Reed’s murder as part of a plea deal.
After Reed was shot, an iPhone and wallet were stolen from him, according to MLive. While being questioned on the stand last week, Pratt alleged Thomas committed the robbery. A friend, Nicolas Gibby, seconded Pratt’s story.
Thomas’ lawyer, Washtenaw County First Assistant Public Defender Lorne Brown said Pratt and Gibby lied on the stand. In his closing arguments, Washtenaw County Assistant Prosecutor Nimish Ganatra accused Brown of “grasping at straws.”
Brown’s arguments struck the jury, as they sided with him and his client in the verdict.
Pratt is Reed’s only convicted murderer, and will serve 18-to-30 years in prison on a second-degree murder.
