The trial of Antonio Goodwin continued for the third day today as the court heard testimonies from a victim and three police officers involved in detaining the defendant.
Goodwin is one of the four former Auburn football players charged with counts of first-degree burglary, first-degree robbery and third-degree theft of property at a home in at Conway Acres mobile home park. Goodwin, Michael McNeil, Shaun Kitchens and Dakota Mosley allegedly committed the crimes the night of March 10 of last year.
McNeil, Kitchens and Mosley are scheduled to go to trial in June.
Clay Stewart, one of the victims, testified today. Stewart was on the couch watching television when the intruders arrived.
"We were all asking who it was because nobody ever goes to that door," Stewart said. "(Don Rhoades) opened the door and they pushed him onto the couch."
Stewart testified that an intruder with dreadlocks, who police believe to be McNeil, ordered those inside to give up their cellphones and to remain silent and sit down.
It did not take police long to arrive at the home after the incident, Stewart said.
Auburn police officers pulled over a light-colored sedan minutes after the robbery was reported.
"This vehicle took an abrupt right turn onto a dirt road which leads to the Auburn Horse Unit, which is closed at night," testified officer William Buechner. "I observed there was a white male driver and three black occupants. They were detained at the scene."
After the individuals were separated, Buechner identified Goodwin from his Georgia license.
"I asked him where he had been tonight, and Goodwin stated he never exited the vehicle while they were at the residence," Buechner testified. "He said he did not know where they were because he was unfamiliar with the area."
Buechner said during the detainment Goodwin informed him that he and the three other individuals were Auburn football players.
Assistant District Attorney Kenny Gibbs questioned officer Antoine Daniels, who was also on the scene, about what else transpired.
"I pulled two cellphones out of (Goodwin's) pocket," Daniels said. "It was an Apple iPhone and a Blackberry."
Buechner identified a pistol under the rear seat on the passenger side.
"I rendered it safe and placed it back where it was originally located," Buechner said.
Lauryn Lauderdale, Goodwin's attorney, asked if this concerned Buechner.
"It did," Buechner said. "I saw it was pointing, but then I saw it was a BB pistol--one that you could purchase at Walmart."
The four were taken into custody on the scene.
Goodwin has pleaded not guilty, with Lauderdale arguing that Goodwin was in an impaired state from smoking synthetic marijuana earlier in the night.
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