Antonio Green Jr., 22, is currently on trial for the murder of his cousin, Travis Terrell Green, who was shot and killed in October 2021. Green faces charges of murder, armed robbery, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime related to the shooting that took place at the Pinecrest Greene apartments in West Ashley on October 30, 2021.
Two other co-defendants, Brian Sease and Derrick Stewart, have also been charged in connection to the crime. Sease is set for trial at a later date, while Stewart has agreed to a plea deal, pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter in exchange for avoiding further prison time.
The Events Leading Up to the Murder
The prosecution presented evidence, including text and Facebook messages, showing that Derrick Stewart and Antonio Green had planned to rob Travis Green instead of purchasing marijuana from him as originally intended. Stewart testified that after Travis quoted a higher price for the marijuana than agreed upon, tensions escalated.
Stewart recalled how Sease (referred to as “Block”) pulled a gun on Travis. “Block pulled out the gun and put it to Travis’s head,” Stewart said. Prosecutor Cassity Brewer then asked Stewart what happened next, to which he responded, “AJ [Antonio Green] pulled out his gun.”
Stewart stated that after Sease pointed his gun at Travis, Antonio Green handed him a backpack containing marijuana, and he ran away from the scene. He then heard multiple gunshots and fled with the others. Stewart further testified that after the shooting, Antonio Green asked Sease if he had killed Travis, to which Sease confirmed, saying it was necessary.
Key Evidence in the Case
The prosecution presented cell phone video recorded secretly by Antonio Green after the murder. In the video, Sease reportedly tells Green that he shouldn’t feel scared because it was Green’s fault that the incident escalated the way it did. Stewart admitted to initially lying to investigators, but he changed his story after learning that Antonio Green had already told law enforcement that Stewart was at fault.
Defense Cross-Examination and Discrepancies
During cross-examination, the defense questioned the timeline of the cell phone video. The defense argued that it was taken on the same day as the murder, but Stewart insisted it wasn’t, pointing out that the clothing they wore in the video differed from what they wore during the crime. The defense also presented an hour-and-a-half-long audio recording of an interview between Stewart and Charleston Police Investigator Eric Tuttle, which they used to highlight inconsistencies between Stewart’s previous statements and his testimony.
In the recorded interview, Tuttle pointed out that Stewart was aware of prior tension between Antonio Green and Travis Green, including an issue where Travis allegedly owed money to Antonio. Stewart confirmed this during the interview.
Status of the Defendants
Antonio Green Jr. was released from jail in 2022, while Brian Sease remains incarcerated at the Al Cannon Detention Center. Stewart, who was a minor at the time of the crime, has his records sealed, and he has since pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter.
The prosecution is expected to continue presenting its case at the Charleston County Courthouse on Thursday.
