By Kelly Kazek
A trial postponed until this spring for the man accused of killing two Athens residents and seriously injuring a third has been delayed again until Sept. 8, said a spokeswoman for the Madison County District Attorney’s office.
In fact, attorneys still are not sure where the trial will be held for Jamal Woods, 28, of Huntsville, who is charged with capital murder in connection with the Dec. 17, 2006, shooting at T.G.I. Friday’s restaurant on University Drive in Huntsville that killed Tanqueray “Tank” Beavers, 21, and his cousin, Thurston Turner, 27.
An attorney for Woods, Alan Mann of Huntsville, filed a change of venue motion and hopes to have the high-profile case moved from Madison County. But as of Tuesday, the District Attorney’s office had no word from Judge Laura Jo Hamilton on that motion, said spokeswoman Heather Douglas.
“There’s still work to be done (on the case),” Douglas said.
Woods was indicted in June by a Madison County grand jury in connection with the shooting, which also injured Autora “Tory” Rogers of Athens. Rogers required repeated surgeries in the year after the shooting.
According to witnesses, the shooting occurred after Beavers said hello to his distant cousin and former high school classmate Rotesia Horton, who family members say had married Woods.
Woods grew jealous, witnesses told authorities, and began shooting with a 9 mm handgun.
Beavers died at the restaurant and Turner died nine days later at Huntsville Hospital. Rogers remained in a coma for four weeks after the shooting and had surgery in June to remove a bullet lodged in his chest.
A bystander, William Reliford of Hazel Green, who was a bartender at Olive Garden in Huntsville at the time, also sustained injuries in the shooting.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Woods.
