Lemaricus Davidson trial, day 4

RECAP: Day #4 of the Lemaricus Davidson Trial

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- Accused killer Lemaricus Davidson admitted to police that he's a dope dealer, but he said he's no murderer.

In court Thursday, the jury watched Davidson's taped police interrogation after he was arrested in January 2007, after allegedly carjacking, kidnapping, raping and killing Channon Christian, 21, and Christopher Newsom, 23.

It was the first, and possibly the only time, jurors have heard from Davidson himself. We've not heard whether Davidson will take the stand.

Police say his statement was full of lies.

In the taped interview, Davidson cried as he told police what he says happened the weekend Christian and Newsom were murdered.

Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Agent Woody Webb said, "As the interview progressed, his story changed."

Davidson first denied knowing anything about the crimes or the couple.

"Did you, have you, did you see them when they were alive?" Davidson was asked.

"Naw. I ain't never seen them before in my life," Davidson responded.

But later he told police his half-brother and co-defendant Letalvis Cobbins carjacked the couple, then came to Davidson's house, and Davidson said he had Christian and Newsom tied up in Christian's SUV.

"They already had the car and everything, you hear me?" Davidson said. "They had both of them in-- in the backseat tied up."

Davidson blamed co-defendant George Thomas for shooting and killing Newsom, and Davidson said he bolted before Christian was killed.

But prosecutors spent Thursday trying to link Davidson to the crimes.

A police finger print analyst testified he found Davidson's palm prints on several trash bags wrapped around Christian's body.

The defense fought back.

Defense attorney David Eldridge asked KPD Forensic Technician Tim Schade, "You don't know when the prints were placed there or when the bags were pulled from the box?"

A ballistics expert said test-fired bullets from Davidson's revolver showed similar markings to bullets found in Newsom's body, but they weren't identical.

"So the bullets could have been fired from that gun?" Prosecutor Takisha Fitzgerald asked. "But you can't, as an expert, say with 100 percent certainty they were fired from that gun."

"Correct," Ballistics expert Patricia Resig said.

Eventually, in his statement, Davidson also denied ever having sex with Christian, and said investigators wouldn't find his DNA on her. But we now know police did find his DNA on Christian's body.

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT)--Attorneys for accused killer Lemaricus Davidson attacked what they've called flawed forensics linking Davidson to the deaths of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom.

Prosecutors have tried to use finger print evidence to point the finger for the couple's murder at Davidson.

Knoxville Police finger print analyst Tim Schade testified he identified Davidson's palm prints on three of the five trash bags wrapped around Christian's body.

Schade said the bag needed to have weight in it to find that type of print.

That assertion follows KPD finger print analyst Dan Crenshaw's testimony earlier this week that Davidson's palm prints were consistent with someone lifting a heavy bag.

Davidson defender David Eldridge argued police couldn't identify any prints on the bags wrapped closest to Christian's body or the bag around her face.

Schade described the finger print collection, analysis, and comparison procedure as a "scientific process."

However, Eldridge asserted it's more of a subjective, visual comparison.

"There's no protocol or standard that governs the number of details you must identify in order to make an identification is there? "Eldridge asked Schade.

"In this U.S., there is no standard, if by that you mean a numeric standard. That's correct," Shade responded.

Shade testified he wouldn't make any match unless he was absolutely sure it was correct.

Prosecutors don't have a definite murder weapon for the gun that shot and killed Chris Newsom.

Assistant District Attorney Takisha Fitzgerald showed test-fired bullets from a gun found in Davidson's jacket had similar markings to the bullets found in Newsom's body.

However, KPD ballistics expert Patricia Resig testified she couldn't say with absolute certainty the bullets in Newsom's back and neck came from Davidson's gun.

Resig also testified the fatal bullet in Newsom's head was damaged to an extent she wasn't able to conclude that bullet came from the same gun as the other two bullets.

"When you have damage like that, it makes it challenging as far as making a microscopic comparison of one bullet to another bullet," Resig said.

"As an expert, you can't say the bullet recovered from Mr. Newsom's head was not fired by [the gun from Davidson's jacket]?" Fitzgerald asked.

"I can't say it was not fired," Resig replied.

Davidson's pleaded not guilty to the couple January 2007 kidnapping, rape, and murder

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- Today marks the fourth day of Lemaricus Davidson's trial for allegedly carjacking, kidnapping, raping and murdering Channon Christian, 21, and Christopher Newsom, 23, in January 2007. Testimony is set to begin at 9 a.m.

Unlike Davidson's half brother, Letalvis Cobbins, who has already had his day in court, Davidson requested a Knox County Jury.

Volunteer TV's Mike McCarthy is at the courthouse, and he'll be providing updates all day on Volunteer TV News and on VolunteerTV.com. You can also follow his updates on Twitter. Just follow @WVLT.