Family of Gwinnett County father, coach killed prepare for day three of murder trial

Monday marks day three of testimony in the trial of three men accused of murdering a father and coach as he filled his tires with air at a gas station.

Bradley Coleman, 29, died July 10, 2022.

The Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office accuses Josiah Hughley, David Booker, and Miles Collins of attacking him at a QT gas station in Peachtree Corners.

Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney John Melvin told jurors last week that the three men are members of the bloods gang. He said they were trying to carjack Coleman when Coleman fought back.

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That is when Melvin said Hughley shot him.

Hughley’s attorney, Tracey Drake, told jurors that Coleman was armed, and her client panicked and shot the father.

Attorney Lawrence Lewis represents David Booker. He told jurors that prosecutors cannot prove who did what if anything.

“Bradley Coleman got shot by someone, and you have to figure out who is the someone that shot,” Lewis told jurors in his opening statement.

After hearing about their loved one’s last moments alive, Bradley Coleman’s family walked out of the courthouse Friday and stood hand in hand. They spoke exclusively with Channel 2 Action News reporter Courtney Francisco about how they think the trial is going so far.

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“God has not let us down,” said Coleman’s mother, Venetia Coleman. “He will not fail us. We believe these three individuals that did this to our son is going to pay with their lives in prison for the rest of their miserable lives.”

She was the first witness jurors heard from during this trial. She told them her son was 29 years old when he died. He had a little girl and a life in New Orleans where he was a coach and mentor. She said her son helped children transition back into society after getting out of jail.

She said he was in Gwinnett County in July 2022 visiting family when he was killed.

“It’s like reopening a wound,” Coleman’s cousin, Don Expose, said.

Witnesses testified that they saw Coleman fighting one man off.

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“I saw men struggling near a parked car,” said Paige Smith.

On day two of testimony, the state presented evidence like tattoos on the men and cell phone tower records that show their phones were located near the QT gas station at the time of the shooting.

Defense attorneys argued towers are limited and do not provide exact locations.

When jurors left Friday evening, prosecutors had called 11 total witnesses to the stand. They are expected to continue with more witnesses Monday. Then, each defense attorney has a chance to call witnesses. Once testimony wraps up, closing arguments will begin before jurors can start deliberating.

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