Overview

• Jurors listened to Tony Earls’ 911 call in which he said a robber shot first and that he “shot back,” a claim prosecutors challenged using surveillance footage and audio presented in court.
• An investigator testified that muzzle flashes on video came from Earls’ position and none from the fleeing robber, and other witnesses said all spent rounds recovered were tied to Earls’ firearm.
• The defense argued Earls reasonably believed the robber was shooting and questioned the investigation’s completeness, citing uncollected evidence, changed scene conditions, and the possibility of ammunition with less visible muzzle flash.
• Arlene Alvarez’s father acknowledged revising earlier statements that suggested crossfire, telling jurors he later concluded Earls alone fired at the family’s truck as they drove past the bank.
• Courtroom tensions included a late-night disclosure of a demonstrative video challenged by the defense, the removal of Crime Stoppers’ director over a logoed shirt, and a subpoena that kept the victim’s aunt out of the gallery.