[Breaking] Eldorado Red Murder Trial Begins With Powerful Opening Statements and Tearful Testimony

Reporting by: Dennis Byron

After almost two years of pre-trial motions, the trial of some of Gary Bradford aka Eldorado Red charged with the execution-style murder of rising rap star Lil Phat began on Thursday in Atlanta, Georgia’s Fulton County Superior court.Bradford is alleged to have been the mastermind behind the killing of Melvin Vernell, III aka Lil Phat. Prosecutors believe that Bradford hired Maurice Conner and Deandre Washington to carry out the murders because they believed Lil Phat stole marijuana from a member of their crew.

Russian mafia former boss Mani Chulpayev will be tried separately for the crime and former San Francisco basketball star Decensae White has already struck a deal with the prosecution to testify against all the other defendants. For his full cooperation and testimony, White is expected to receive a sentence of 8 years in prison for his cooperation.

The former girlfriend of Lil Phat testified that she was at Northside Hospital in Atlanta awaiting the birth of her second child by the slain rapper. Frazier also testified that she met the rapper when he was 17 years old and she was 19 years old.

Stay tuned for updates as they develops throughout the week.

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