{"id":286323,"date":"2025-10-08T10:52:16","date_gmt":"2025-10-08T10:52:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/286323\/"},"modified":"2025-10-08T10:52:16","modified_gmt":"2025-10-08T10:52:16","slug":"closing-arguments-set-to-begin-in-trial-of-2-jacksonville-men-accused-in-murder-of-13-year-old-prince-holland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/286323\/","title":{"rendered":"Closing arguments set to begin in trial of 2 Jacksonville men accused in murder of 13-year-old Prince Holland"},"content":{"rendered":"

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.<\/strong> \u2013 Closing arguments were set to begin Wednesday morning in the murder trial of two Jacksonville men accused in the 2022 drive-by shooting death of 13-year-old Prince Holland<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Kentrevious Garard, 27, and Marcel Johnson, 25, are both facing first-degree murder charges in connection with the teen\u2019s death. The suspects are facing separate juries in their combined trial.<\/p>\n

Closing arguments will come a day after Garard took the stand in his own defense, claiming he wasn\u2019t involved in criminal activity and trying to distance himself from others tied to the case.<\/p>\n

NOTE: Because of the sensitive nature of the evidence and some of the witnesses\u2019 identities, News4JAX will only show limited images from inside the courtroom. Some of the details below are graphic. Discretion is advised.<\/p>\n

Kentrevious Garard testifies<\/b><\/p>\n

Kentrevious Garard, one of two men charged in the murder of Holland, took the stand in his own defense Tuesday evening. <\/p>\n

When questioned by the defense, he portrayed himself as uninvolved in criminal activities and distanced from the key figures involved in the case, emphasizing his fear of police and his focus on work and family.<\/p>\n

When Garard was questioned about police serving a search warrant on his mother\u2019s house in December 2022, he said he had no idea why the warrant was served and was scared of the police, which is why he did not voluntarily go to talk to them. <\/p>\n

He admitted to searching for information about Marcel Johnson and another cousin on his phone, but did not know it was a crime to do so. He learned later that Marcel Johnson was charged with homicide, not just marijuana possession.<\/p>\n

Garard also described his family ties and travel between Georgia and New York. He talked about his biological father and siblings living in Georgia and his sister, who played varsity basketball and later college basketball. He confirmed attending most of her games in December 2022 except for one when he was with his girlfriend.<\/p>\n

He explained his relationship with Marcel Johnson, which started in 2019 but grew distant by late 2021 due to disagreements, including Johnson\u2019s alleged involvement in drug selling. Gerard denied any involvement in disputes or violence related to other individuals mentioned in the trial and said he did not know them.<\/p>\n

Regarding the weekend of December 2-3, 2022, Gerard said he planned to spend time with his then-girlfriend, while his mother was out of town. They picked up food from Juicy Crab and ate at the dining room table. Afterward, she worked on school assignments while Gerard played video games online, including with Marcel Johnson. Johnson came over briefly to play video games and smoke marijuana, then left to \u201cmake a pop or serve somebody,\u201d which Gerard explained meant selling marijuana. Gerard denied going with Johnson when he left and said Johnson did not indicate he would return.<\/p>\n

When Johnson came back, Garard said he was shirtless and started rapping, which Garard said was not unusual for him. Garard also said he called Johnson\u2019s brother over to his house to bring him another video game controller. But when Johnson\u2019s brother arrived, Garard was upset that he brought an uninvited friend who was on house arrest. <\/p>\n

Garard said he then left to buy marijuana from Johnson at a park in the Brooklyn neighborhood before going back home to his girlfriend.<\/p>\n

Garard said he was not a rapper but appeared in several of Johnson\u2019s music videos because they were friends. <\/p>\n

He also said the last time he was in the blue car was for a friend\u2019s birthday on November 30th. <\/p>\n

During cross-examination, Garard testified about his employment, phone usage, and interactions with others involved in the case. He confirmed being hired in late November or early December but not starting work until January, explaining there was no set start date.<\/p>\n

Garard admitted to having three phones at the time of his arrest but clarified that one phone with a specific number was broken after being dropped in snow in Lake Placid, New York. He discarded the broken phone and its SIM card following a police search of his mother\u2019s house in December. He denied disposing of the phone to avoid police detection.<\/p>\n

He acknowledged deleting his internet history but denied attempting to delete certain search records related to a SIM card. Garard also discussed his relationships with several individuals involved in the case, including Marcel Johnson and another man, describing some as close friends or like brothers.<\/p>\n

Regarding the night of the incident, Garard testified that Marcel Johnson visited his home to play video games, left briefly, and returned. He explained calling another friend to bring a game controller because one of the controllers was broken. He denied inviting one man to the house and stated that uninvited guests were an issue.<\/p>\n

Throughout the cross-examination, Garard maintained that his current statements were truthful and that previous lies were made under pressure or to protect himself.<\/p>\n

Marcel Johnson interviews with JSO<\/b><\/p>\n

Day five included more of the JSO detective testifying about his interview with Marcel Johnson after his arrest. Johnson was read his Miranda rights and initially claimed two people nicknamed \u201cDrop\u201d and \u201cSlim\u201d used his grandmother\u2019s car, the blue Kia Rio, in the shooting. At first, she said they carjacked him, then later said they took it without permission.<\/p>\n

In a follow-up interview from jail, Johnson changed his story, saying he and Kentrevious Gerard were together that night. He told detectives Gerard saw the victims\u2019 red Mercedes and was \u201cplotting\u201d against them.<\/p>\n

Prosecutors noted that a few days later, Johnson went live on Instagram, appearing to mock the shooting saying \u201cIt\u2019s bustin on 8th Street,\u201d referencing the location of the nearest hospital. They also said Johnson could be seen mimicking someone struggling to breathe while making a gun gesture with his hand.<\/p>\n

Johnson\u2019s second interview was played where he waived his Miranda rights before speaking. <\/p>\n

Johnson said he drove the car while Gerard fired from the passenger side using a Zastava-style rifle belonging to Johnson\u2019s brother.<\/p>\n

JSO detective testifies<\/b><\/p>\n

Monday\u2019s testimony included a detective talking about the time he spoke with Kentrevious Garard\u2019s girlfriend, Garard\u2019s interrogation video in Orlando, and one of his jail calls with his girlfriend.<\/p>\n

The interrogation video played in court started with the detective asking Garard to remember the first weekend of December. He talks about spending the day with his girlfriend, going to a restaurant in the afternoon, then spending the rest of the night at home playing video games.<\/p>\n

The detective asked him about the blue Kia Rio that detectives say was used to execute the shooting. Garard said that he\u2019s never seen the car, but the detective shows a report that connects him to the car and he again said he\u2019s never been in that car.<\/p>\n

The detective said Garard and Marcel Johnson\u2019s phones were traveling together in the afternoon on Dec. 3, the day of the shooting.<\/p>\n

Johnson\u2019s attorney did a cross-examination, saying there\u2019s no way of knowing who actually has possession of the device at the time.<\/p>\n

Later, a jail call between Garard and his girlfriend was played. The detective said he drove to Tallahassee to speak with the girlfriend and confronted her with the jail call. She said that what Garard was telling her had to do with getting his property picked up and staying in contact with his mother and godmother.<\/p>\n

The detective said he asked her about what happened the first weekend of December and she told the same story that she was with Garard that day, they went to a restaurant, and spent the rest of the day at home.<\/p>\n

Testimony by coach who survived the drive-by<\/b><\/p>\n

The man who was driving the SUV when Holland was fatally shot testified Friday that he saw the 13-year-old get hit.<\/p>\n

He said he had been talking with the teen as he stopped at the intersection of Moncrief and New Kings roads.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy hand was on the steering wheel, and I got shot through my arm and (Prince) got hit,\u201d said the man, who had coached Holland and the other kids in his SUV during football tryouts minutes before the deadly shooting.<\/p>\n

The coach became emotional and had to pause during his testimony in the murder trial of two Jacksonville men charged with killing Holland<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Under cross-examination, defense attorneys pressed him on his past connections with the Johnson family and when asked directly, he admitted he had never received any threats from either defendant. <\/p>\n

How Marcel Johnson became a suspect<\/b> <\/p>\n

Jurors also watched a social media video while a detective explained how Marcel Johnson became a suspect.<\/p>\n

\u201cMarcel Johnson says \u2018barely making it in that b—-,\u2019 Then after making that statement, he starts imitating what appears to be, in my opinion, a person struggling to breathe. After that, he starts making gunfire noises while using his fingers to shape a gun, in my opinion, while pointing it at the camera and making those noises,\u201d JSO Detective Drabek said.<\/p>\n

One of Garard\u2019s friends also took the stand saying that he told the detective that Garard said the phrase, \u201cI sprayed that thing up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI told him we\u2019re playing , but y\u2019all never actually came in and said, Kobe said that,\u201d the friend said.<\/p>\n

Testimony grew tense at times.<\/p>\n

Witness:<\/b> I told I was playing the game. You said, y\u2019all came to ask me a question. And I said, Yeah, you said. And I said, I didn\u2019t know what we\u2019re talking about because I was hot, but I remembered it when I called and when we talked on the Zoom meeting. I told y\u2019all you did, and<\/p>\n

Attorney:<\/b> No, you didn\u2019t and I believe also in the sworn statement. You told what…<\/p>\n

Garard Attorney:<\/b> Your honor. He\u2019s saying what he did and didn\u2019t say.<\/p>\n

Judge:<\/b> Okay, hang on, hang hang on. We\u2019re going to excuse juries<\/p>\n

Garard\u2019s attorney argued that the witness was on muscle relaxers and marijuana when he gave that original statement to detectives.<\/p>\n

Day four of the trial will continue on Monday morning.<\/p>\n

Kentrevious Garard, 27, and Johnson, 25, are both facing first-degree murder charges in connection with the teen\u2019s death. They have separate juries in their combined trial.<\/p>\n

According to investigators, Johnson drove a blue Kia Rio with Garard inside, waiting for the red SUV that the coach was driving. They said Garard fired shots at the SUV when it stopped at the traffic light, killing Holland and wounding others, including the coach and an 11-year-old child.<\/p>\n

The coach testified Friday that he was shot 10 times in the attack, but didn\u2019t realize that until he got to the hospital later.<\/p>\n

\u201cI only thought my arm got hit with Prince at the same time,\u201d the coach said.<\/p>\n

He believes a bullet went through his arm and then struck the teenager.<\/p>\n

Prince Holland’s family celebrating his birthday<\/p>\n

The coach was also wounded in his hip and stomach and lost his left index finger. He spent a year and eight months in the hospital.<\/p>\n

During the coach\u2019s testimony, the prosecutor also asked him about his history with Johnson, and he acknowledged the two had previously gotten into a fight at a gas station.<\/p>\n

\u2018Very hard to breathe\u2019<\/b><\/p>\n

The 11-year-old who survived the attack is now a teenager and shared vivid testimony Thursday about the chaotic night Holland was killed.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>Jacksonville coach honored for heroic act that saved lives of 11, 14, 15-year-olds during deadly 2022 attack<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

The coach and the kids were leaving football tryouts when they stopped at the intersection, he recalled.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout like three seconds later, (it) sounded like a whole bunch of firecrackers,\u201d he said. \u201cI was still in shock, and then once I looked up, it was, like the windshield was just blurry a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said everyone got out of the car once the shooting stopped.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe tried to put the coach on the sidewalk, and then we kind of like ran back up from the car a little bit, and then (someone) called my mom,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He was wounded in the upper back and spent seven days in the hospital after the shooting. He explained what it felt like to be shot.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was just hot, and I was like spitting, and it was like a thick blood coming. After that, it was just like, very hard breathing, very hard to breathe,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

In addition to the witness testimony on Thursday, gruesome evidence photos had emotional loved ones of Holland<\/a> tearing up.<\/p>\n

Chantel Brown, Holland\u2019s mother, previously told News4JAX that the past few years have been horrible and being back for the trial has brought a flood of emotions as she\u2019s forced to relive that night all over again. <\/p>\n

She said she\u2019s hoping this process will bring justice.<\/p>\n

\u2018Boom, boom, boom\u2019<\/b><\/p>\n

Witnesses describing the chaos at the intersection that night said they heard loud pops that they thought were fireworks at first, and at least one witness recounted seeing a muzzle flash coming from a vehicle.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just heard and felt: boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom,\u201d one witness said, explaining how she slipped down inside her car when she heard the explosive sounds. \u201cI proceeded slowly to get back up. And then I noticed that the light had changed. I was a little hesitant. I was just kind of frozen and scared to move. But I decided to proceed, to go forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

She said when she did, a small blue car passed by her.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe car came, and it seemed like to me out of nowhere, and it almost hit me,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Another witness said they saw muzzle flashes from a vehicle, although no one could identify the shooter or the car the shots were coming from.<\/p>\n

Both defense attorneys emphasized that the witnesses could not identify the make or model of the suspect vehicle, nor how many people were inside.<\/p>\n

Testimonies will continue on Friday morning at 9 a.m. <\/p>\n

Gang connection?<\/b><\/p>\n

One key part of pre-trial discussions involved whether or not rap videos could be used as evidence against the men.<\/p>\n

Originally, Judge Jeb Branham agreed to allow the prosecutors to use as much video evidence as they needed to show a connection between the two defendants.<\/p>\n

Branham also said, \u201cThe State may further show any portions of the videos that discuss 320 or proposed violent actions towards \u2018ops,\u2019 i.e. rival groups or gangs.\u201d<\/p>\n

But Garard\u2019s attorneys continued to push back against the relevance of the videos, saying they are not disputing that the two men know each other and arguing that the videos could be prejudicial to the jury.<\/p>\n

In a 2023 news conference, Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said that Holland\u2019s shooting was linked to \u201ctwo rival street groups.\u201d<\/p>\n

Garard\u2019s attorneys argue that he is not a documented gang member, the state hasn\u2019t offered any evidence that he is connected to the two groups in question and that the videos have no bearing on the facts of the case.<\/p>\n

RELATED | <\/b>Accused shooter in Prince Holland\u2019s death wants separate trial from accused driver<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

Last year, the State Attorney\u2019s Office released evidence, including footage and phone calls related to the investigation. A nearly four-hour-long interrogation of Johnson was also made public.<\/p>\n

MORE | <\/b>New evidence images, 911 calls released nearly a year after murder of 13-year-old Prince Holland<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

During the interrogation, Johnson reportedly told detectives about the tension between him and Garard as they followed the red SUV carrying Holland from football tryouts. <\/p>\n

According to Johnson, when they reached an intersection, Garard allegedly instructed him to \u201clet the shots off.\u201d<\/p>\n

The police reported that more than 20 bullets were fired during the incident. Johnson has claimed that Garard threatened him to ensure his silence about the events that transpired.<\/p>\n

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