Defendant in Bradenton murder trial says he's 'victim of the same crime'

BRADENTON -- Everrick "Jermain" Houston took the stand in his own defense Thursday, saying he lied about what he was doing in a Bradenton apartment complex when a pregnant woman was shot to death in 2009, because he didn't want his girlfriend to know he was there to see another woman.

In the wee hours of July 12, 2009, up to three men stormed into the home Crystal Johnson, 19, shared with her boyfriend, mother and sister in the DeSoto Village Apartments, and shot Johnson, who was six months pregnant.

Lawrence "L.T." Funsch, her boyfriend and the baby's father, fired back at the intruders.

Johnson was taken to Manatee Memorial Hospital where she died but her baby, Lariah Faith Funsch, was delivered in an emergency cesarean section. Lariah was taken to All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg where she died eight hours later.

Houston, 34, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and armed home invasion. If convicted, he will face life in prison because the state is not seeking the death penalty.

Houston's first trial in the case in 2014 ended in a mistrial after the jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict.

During the shootout, prosecutors say Funsch shot Houston.

On the stand Thursday, Houston said he was shot by a stray bullet after walking through the apartment complex's gate.

"I am a victim of the same crime," Houston said.

Houston told the jury he had left his then-girlfriend's

car at his cousin's mechanic shop between 11 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. July 11, 2009, and walked to the DeSoto Village Apartments to see a "female friend."

"As I come through the gate, I hear shots, shots and I was shot. People were running all directions," Houston said.

At first, Houston said he grabbed his chest after realizing he was shot, but then quickly corrected himself to say he first fell into a railing and then grabbed his chest. He ran a short distance and, the next thing he remembered he was in the hospital, he said.

Prosecutors this week said blood found on the railing linked Houston to the crime.

This week, Houston's cousin testified he saw Houston and his codefendant together on more than one occasion. Gregory "Kush" Kennon was convicted of identical charges in 2012 and sentenced to life in prison.

Houston defense attorney Jenna Finkelstein asked him if he ever went near Johnson's apartment, and he said no.

On cross-examination, Assistant State Attorney Art Brown asked Houston to mark the path he took into the apartment complex with a marker on a photo, but Houston said he couldn't.

Houston said when he came through an open gate, he turned and began walking along the railing. Brown asked: Why wouldn't he take the shortest distance through the grass?

"My shoes," Houston said.

He said he had just bought new Nike Air Force 1 shoes.

"I just wasn't going to continue to walk through the grass,"

This week, the jury heard a recorded interview Houston did in the hospital with Manatee County Sheriff's Office detective Stephen Ives. Houston told Ives he was walking down the street and thought a "Mexican" shot him. Houston said Thursday he had no recollection of the conversation.

"I heard the recording ... but you heard detective Ives saying most of that stuff ... what he thought I had said," Houston said.

"Were you looking for a ride?" Brown asked him, then turning to a transcript of a second interview with Ives.

Houston first said he didn't remember as Brown started to read from the transcript, but after reading it himself, said he did remember.

Brown then asked if he lied.

Houston said yes, because he "had an old lady at home," and didn't want it known he was at the apartment complex to see another woman.

After lunch, the jurors listened as attorneys presented closing arguments for more than two hours.

"This was a case of wrong place, wrong time," Finkelstein said repeating what she had said earlier in the week.

Brown argued Houston is guilty of killing Johnson and her baby.

"Look upon him. This is the face of murder in Manatee County today," Brown said in front of Houston pointing down.

The trial will reconvene at 9:30 a.m. Friday. The judge will instruct the jury, which will then begin deliberations.

Jessica De Leon, Herald law enforcement reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7049. You can follow her on Twitter @JDeLeon1012.

This story was originally published February 11, 2016 at 11:11 PM with the headline "Defendant in Bradenton murder trial says he's 'victim of the same crime'."