Video of alleged gas station shooting played during hearing

WARREN — A Warren courtroom was silent as a video that showed a man allegedly being shot was played. Two defendants sat in front of the room, interspersed within a row of attorneys.

The video, played as part of a preliminary examination in the 37th District Court July 21,  showed one suspect — Christopher Slade, 21 — open the door of the victim’s Audi in the parking lot of the Marathon gas station on Ryan Road. He sits in the vehicle for a period before leaving and returning to the one he arrived in, a Ford sedan driven by Joshua Malik Carter, 22.

But when he returns to the sedan, he’s carrying a gray bag, Macomb County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Tony Servitto said.

The Audi leaves the parking space and turns around, backing into another spot. Slade returns to the Audi and again enters it, this time carrying what Warren Police Detective Michael Lewis believes to be a gun. After a brief amount of time passes, the driver — 46-year-old Talal Shamo — exits the vehicle.

A time estimated to be about four seconds by Carter’s attorney, Joan Morgan, passes before Carter is allegedly seen rushing to the man and firing two shots into his head, killing him.

“Those are kill shots,” Servitto said.

After running the license plate of the Ford through a police database, the department was able to find an address for the registered owner, which Lewis said was Carter. A search warrant was executed, and evidence technicians found blood on a pair of shoes owned by Carter that was identified as Shamo’s.

Servitto argued that enough evidence had been presented to prove to the court that Carter should be bound over on a charge of premeditated first-degree murder.

“I would argue to this court premeditation was brought in that moment when Mr. Carter exits that vehicle, runs over …” Servitto said.

He also argued that because Slade was allegedly performing a larceny, he should also stand trial for felony murder. In addition, because shots were fired at Shamo when Slade was in the vehicle, Servitto said he the charge of assault with intent to murder was also warranted for Slade.

Addressing the charges against Carter, Morgan argued that the murder hadn’t been premeditated.

“I just don’t think there’s any evidence of premeditation,” she said.

Morgan said she was perplexed about why Carter was being charged with first-degree murder.

“There just hasn’t been any evidence of a larceny or any concert of action in terms of an attempted perpetration of a larceny,” she said.

She asked the judge to bind Carter over on one count of second-degree murder and one felony firearms charge.

Kendall Sailler, Slade’s attorney, agreed with Morgan’s stance as it pertained to his client.

“I agree with counsel; I haven’t seen any evidence of a larceny here to support the felony murder. I don’t even believe there was any testimony about that,” he said.

Carter and Slade were both bound over to Macomb County Circuit Court on their original charges by Visiting Judge Stephen Cooper.

Carter is facing one charge of first-degree premeditated murder, one charge of felony murder and two felony firearms charges. Slade is facing one count of felony homicide, one count of assault with intent to murder and two felony weapons charges.

Contact Staff Writer Brian Wells at (248) 291-7637 or bwells@candgnews.com.