Update: After the jury deliberated for three and half hours Friday night, Kenneth Wayne Adams was found not guilty of murder.

Original: Jurors in the Kenny Wayne Adams trial visited the scene Friday morning on Rooker Lane where Adams shot and killed William Allen Brantley in March 2019. Adams maintains that he shot Brantley in self defense.

The State rested its case to start the fourth day of testimony. The defense requested the field trip to the scene and after visiting the scene himself prior, Circuit Court Chadwick Wise granted the request and felt a visit would be beneficial to the jurors.

Judge Wise, in anticipation of the trial possibly stretching past the end of the day Friday, asked jurors to decide if they would prefer coming back Saturday or Monday in hopes of finishing the trial. The jurors voted to come to court Saturday.

After returning from Rooker Lane, the defense called two witnesses from a logging company who had been doing work on Adam’s’ land. Adams had been following behind an 18-wheeler hauling a large piece of logging equipment from Adams’ property.

One witness testified that he saw Brantley confront Adams at his driver side door as he and the logging company attempted to exit Rooker Lane. The other witness gave testimony denying the logging company caused damage to the road or water meters of which they were accused by the deceased.

Adams did not testify at trial and the defense rested its case Friday afternoon. Closing arguments began Friday afternoon with Judge Wise limiting each side to one hour.

The jury began deliberations late Friday afternoon, and as of press time there was no verdict.

The News Courier will bring you the verdict as soon as one is reached, and look for a recap in Tuesday’s print edition.