NOGALES, Ariz. (KGUN) — There was more testimony about George Allan Kelly’s assault rifle Tuesday as his second degree murder trial continued.
The trial has centered on whether Kelly shot and killed a Mexican National crossing his land or whether his defense lawyers are right when they suggest someone else shot the man. So there was more testimony about Kelly’s gun.
Sheriff’s Sergeant Joseph Bunting talked about how he collected evidence at the scene. Looking at where the shell casings fell from Kelly’s gun, he concluded Kelly shot once, moved, and shot eight more times.
Kelly has said he heard a shot and fired warning shots in return.
Second degree charges do not claim anyone planned to kill, just that they recklessly did something dangerous and someone died as a result.
Sergeant Bunting says he found nothing when he checked Kelly’s house for bullet holes that would show anyone fired towards Kelly.
The bullet went through the victim and kept going so there’s no bullet to match to Kelly’s rifle.
DPS Firearms specialist Aaron Brudenell said AK-47’s like Kelly’s fire ammunition less powerful than many hunting rifles. He said the wound is consistent with a bullet from an AK style of rifle but it produced irregular wounds as if the bullet had begun to wobble.
He said, “If the projectile loses its stability for some reason, that bullet may not be pointed nose first when it impacts and it will have a different hole produced based on the part of the bullet it strikes and the profile as it hits.”
The victim was hit more than a hundred yards from Kelly’s house and there was testimony that bullets he fired may have hit trees or brush as they traveled.
Jurors will have a chance to see the terrain on the ranch for themselves when they visit the ranch later this week.
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