A man allegedly shot and killed his father after being enraged by a gay guest attending a family gathering.
At a preliminary hearing during the week of 18 October, prosecutors claimed the motivation for the crime was homophobia.
“He made it known to his stepfather that he did not approve of that person coming into their house … that their house was a house of God,” Assistant Prosecutor Dana Anton told the judge.
According to news outlet nj.com, it is alleged that 23-year-old Christian A. Smith, of Philadelphia, killed Dennis McKenzie at the age of 43 on 9 October in Woolwich Township.
Anton claimed that an argument quickly escalated between the two, resulting in Smith using a homophobic slur.
McKenzie then reportedly took a swing at Smith before the latter used a gun from his waistband to shoot him three times.
The 43-year-old died at the scene in front of his wife and Smith’s younger sibling, after being shot in the head and torso.
Smith’s attorney argues that a murder charge is not the right course of action as it was an accident.
“Exactly how this occurred and the specific manner of death needs to be fleshed out a little bit more with the forensics,” said Katherine Constantine Blinn, Smith’s public defender.
Blinn emphasised that the shooting was spontaneous, explaining that her client stayed at the scene of the crime after dismantling the gun and leaving it on the dining room table.
“What that suggests to me, judge, is that this was accidental and that in order to prevent any further issues Mr. Smith disassembled the gun until police arrived,” she stated.
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