Former Sentinel employees.
The jury heard the case over nearly two weeks.
Craig testified first among the principal defendants.
He wore a dark suit instead of a uniform.
Without the security belt and boots, he looked smaller.
His attorney asked:
“Did race have anything to do with your decision not to admit Mr. Owens?”
“No.”
“Did you know him?”
“No.”
“Did you have a duty to protect residents?”
“Yes.”
“Was there an error in the system?”
“I believed there was.”
“Were you trying to discriminate?”
“Absolutely not.”
Then Terrence stood.
He began slowly.
“Mr. Sutton, how long had you worked Greystone before September 28?”
“Three weeks.”
“You testified that you knew every resident.”
“I recognized regular traffic.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Pause.
“Three weeks?”
“Yes.”
Terrence displayed the BMW footage.
“How long did this vehicle wait?”
Craig looked.
“I don’t know.”
“Eight seconds.”
He played it.
Smile.
Wave.
Gate.
“Identification?”
“No.”
“Address confirmation?”
“No.”
“Clipboard?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“I recognized them.”
Terrence displayed Fletcher’s arrival.
Forty-five minutes.
“License?”
“Yes.”
“Registration?”
“Yes.”
“Address matching the property?”
“Yes.”
“Digital deed offered?”
“Yes.”
“Police verification?”
“Yes.”
“Wife physically present with resident ID?”
“Yes.”
“HOA president present?”
“Yes.”
“Still not enough?”
Craig’s jaw tightened.
“At the time, no.”
Terrence showed the text.
Some rapper or ballplayer probably bought it.
“Written four days earlier?”
Craig hesitated.
“Yes.”
“Who did you mean?”
“The homeowner at 1 Greystone.”
“Mr. Owens.”
“I didn’t know his name.”
“What did you know?”
“Large house.”
“Anything else?”
“No.”
“Race?”
Craig’s attorney stood.
“Objection.”
Judge Spencer allowed the question within limits.
Terrence asked:
“Had you seen a photograph of the homeowner?”
“No.”
“Then what led you to imagine a rapper or professional athlete?”
Craig stared.
“I don’t remember.”
Terrence nodded.
“Nothing further for now.”
Victoria took the stand two days later.
Dark gray suit.
Minimal jewelry.
Quiet voice.
Her attorney portrayed her as a longtime volunteer placed unexpectedly into a tense security incident.
“She was not in charge of Sentinel.”
True.
“She did not call police.”
True.
“She did not order Craig to detain Fletcher.”
Also true.
The defense strategy rested on distance.
Victoria had merely trusted security professionals.