Witness Testifies About Details From Lorenzen Wright's Murder

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - An ambush under the guise of an exchange of money is how one witness describes how a basketball star was lured to his death.

The state’s star witness wrapped up hours of testimony Friday in the trial of the man charged in Lorenzen Wright’s death.

Jimmie Martin, a confessed co-conspirator if the plot to kill former NBA player Lorenzen Wright, testified against a man he said helped him plan the murder, Billy Ray Turner.

Turner is charged with Wright’s murder and is on trial now. Martin said Turner and Wright’s ex-wife Sherra Wright shot Wright. Then he and Turner disposed of the gun.

“[Sherra] said the plan went through, everything went through that night,” Martin testified.

“What are you talking about,” Chief Prosecutor Paul Hagerman asked Martin on the stand.

“Okay [Sherra] said the plan, the murder of Lorenzen, had went through,” Martin said.

Over two days confessed co-conspirator, Jimmie Martin, testified about what he knows about the plot, the night of the murder and the days following.

Martin said he was not at the murder, but was at planning meetings with Sherra and Turner. He found out from Sherra Wright a few days later the murder happened.

He went to the murder scene with Sherra and Turner after the July 19, 2010 crime. He testified Sherra told him she lured Wright to rural southeastern Memphis under the guise of meeting someone to get money. Sherra told Martin Turner was at the scene that night.

Martin said Sherra told him she and Turner shot Wright.

“She said a lot of things but in memory, she said Lorenzen had his back to them they started chasing him and firing at him and chasing him he jumped through the fence, was jumping like a deer, they caught him and he fell,” Martin said.

But the defense argues there are too many inconsistencies between Martin’s previous statements to police and his testimony in court. Defense Attorney John Perry played a recording from a 2012 interview with police where Martin said Turner was the shooter.

“I didn’t say it was just Billy doing the shooting I said it was Sherra and Billy doing the shooting,” Martin said.

“That’s consistent with what you said in 2017, it was Sherra and Billy. But do you remember what you said in 2012 regarding the shooting,” Perry asked.

“I don’t know,” Martin said.

Thursday Martin testified in June 2010 he and Turner went to Atlanta on Sherra’s request to kill Wright. He testified they both went into Wright’s condo but left because he wasn’t there.

Perry said in a statement to police Martin said he never went into the home.

“You don’t remember saying you stopped at the window and didn’t go into the interior of the apartment and walk around? You don’t remember that,” Perry asked.

“No sir,” Martin said.

Days after the murder Martin said he met up with Turner to dispose of at least one of the guns used in the murder. He said Turner drove. Martin said the two didn’t talk about a plan to get rid of the gun, but kept driving to get far from Memphis.

Martin said he spotted a lake in Walnut, Mississippi. He said he and Turner got out of the car and Turner threw the gun into the air. The pistol investigators say was used in the murder was found in 2017 in the lake after Martin told police where it was.

Martin first talked to police a few weeks after he was convicted of another crime. He said he finally felt comfortable talking to police about it because he felt safe in custody. He said he thought Sherra was crazy and feared for his life if he said anything about the plan before.

This trial will continue into the weekend.

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