Murder trial focus shifts to tattoos

Witnesses disagree about meaning of 2 teardrops below defendant’s eye

Chris Liverman’s murder trial could come down to a teardrop.

The 21-year-old Columbia man, on trial for the shooting deaths of 12-year-old Courtney Dixon and 16-year-old Terrence Merchant, has two teardrops tattooed under his right eye.

Those tattoos weren’t there Aug. 26, 2004, when Liverman was arrested about 18 minutes after the shootings.

Two gang experts testified Monday the tattoos mean a person has killed someone. A defense expert testified the meanings have been perverted by popular culture.

Jurors will have to decide for themselves after attorneys give their closing arguments this morning at the Richland County Courthouse. It will mark the end of the two-week trial that has included gang members’ testimony.

The trial was delayed in August after jurors told the judge they were concerned about gang members in the courtroom. Jurors were identified during this trial only by a number, as part of a new policy for all jury trials.

Assistant 5th Circuit Solicitor Margaret Fent said on the first day of testimony Oct. 31 that Liverman went on a hunt and the “success of that hunt is tattooed on his face.”
One of Liverman’s tattoos is an outline of a teardrop. The other is a teardrop colored black.

Experts for the state testified the open teardrop means a loved one or an innocent person has died and the colored one means a person has killed someone.
A defense expert said the opposite, but also said the meaning of the tattoo has changed so much it can only be explained by the person who has it.

“Young people are using the teardrop tattoo as a fashion statement,” said Robert Walker, who owns a private consulting company, “Gangs Or Us.”

More information about the case.....

Prosecutors say the man accused of gunning down two children lied to police about his involvement. That came Thursday in the trial of Chris Liverman on murder charges.

Police say Chris Liverman has changed his story a few times about what he did on TS Martin Drive August 26, 2004.

Investigator Joe Gray says, at first, Liverman told him he saw someone shooting. To the investigator's question, "What kind of gun was it?" investigator Joe Gray says Liverman replied, "A rifle with a scope - sawed off."

Months later, Liverman said he was shooting, according to investigator Gray. Gray says Liverman, at that time, described the weapon as "a .32 caliber - shot at the house with a red door."

In court Thursday, solicitors doubted Liverman's story, because there were no .32 caliber casings at the scene.

And investigators say, only the shooter would know the rifle was sawed off.

The defense maintains other young men, not Liverman, did the shooting. Testimony continues Friday. We expect to hear more about the .22 caliber rifle.

WIS has been following as the trial has progressed:

Wednesday

Wednesday, a witness for the prosecution told jurors Liverman is a gang member and that he saw him open fire in a Columbia neighborhood in 2004 in gang warfare.

On the stand, Diego Thompson said Liverman told him he was going to TS Martin Drive to quote "handle something." Thompson said Liverman put on a bandanna and gang colors and was looking for rival gang members he thought had disrespected his gang.

That's when Thompson says he saw Liverman pull out a gun.

But prosecutors say the shots hit two young people that police say were innocent bystanders. Twelve-year-old Courtney Dixon and 16-year-old Terrence Merchant died.

The defense said that witness, Diego Thompson, has changed his statements about Liverman's involvement over time. At one point, saying he didn't see anything.

Tuesday

Tuesday, some of the trial focused on Liverman's appearance. There are teardrop tattoos on Chris Liverman's face. Solicitors say Liverman is a gang member, and put the tattoos there to show he killed someone. Solicitor Margaret Dent says, "The defendant went on a hunt. His killing field was TS Martin Drive here in our city."

Margaret Dent says, "The defendant sits in front of you with the success of his hunt tattooed on his face."

In court, Courtney's father - Theodore Haigler - broke down talking about the night his daughter died, "I told Courtney whenever she heard gunshots to get to the ground. I thought that's what she was doing. But I checked her body, she wasn't moving."

Liverman's defense says officers got the wrong man in a rush to make a swift arrest, "The investigation will show this investigation has focused on the suspect, not the evidence."

And, the defense says, it's absurd to think the tattoos are a sign that Liverman killed someone.

The jury returned the verdict Thursday afternoon against Chris Anthony Liverman after deliberating less than two hours. Liverman was accused of killing 12-year-old Courtney Dixon and 16-year-old Terrence Merchant.

Circuit Judge James Johnson Junior sentenced Liverman to two consecutive life prison terms. Prosecutors say they didn't pursue the death penalty because the victims' families did not want it.

Prosecutors say Liverman was a gang member looking for rival gang members when he went on a shooting spree on TS Martin Drive. Police say his young victims were innocent bystanders.

The defense said Liverman was not the shooter, but that police focused on him because he was in a gang. Prosecutors say the verdict shows that's not true.

Johnson delayed Liverman's trial in August after jurors said they were concerned gang members might be in court. Clerk of Court Barbara Scott initiated a new policy to identify jurors only by their number.

Prosecutor Barney Giese emphasized Liverman's gang ties during closing arguments, asking jurors to protect the community by sending Liverman to prison.

Defense attorneys say Giese used Liverman's gang ties to scare the jury.

After the verdict was returned, Giese said, "I am very pleased the jury took a stand against gangs in this verdict. It's going to be a long war, but it's a war we have to win."

While defense attorney Elizabeth Franklin maintains Liverman's innocence, "The prosecution says this case is about gangs. It's not. It's about two young murder victims, and my client stands falsely accused of it."