5 p.m. Update

The night of an Erie tradition ended in violence. That's how Erie County District Attorney Jack Daneri described the July 2015 shooting that claimed the life of two teenagers and injured four others.

The trial for the four men charged in the case started Monday.

20-year-olds Keyshawn McLaurin and Jahaun Jones, 21-year-old Demond Mitchell, and 22-year-old Stephen Russell are all on trial in the drive-by shooting death of 16-year-old Shakur Franklin.

Franklin is one of two teenagers shot and killed outside of a party along West 29th and Summit following the Save-An-Eye Football Game.

Elijah Jackson, 16, was also killed in the shooting, but all four men are not charged with his death.

During opening statements, Daneri presented the Commonwealth's case, where he explained how the evidence collected will tie each of the four defendants to the crime. 

"Shakur Franklin and Elijah Jackson had no idea that their lives were going to be extinguished," said Daneri."The defendants knew they were going to do a drive-by."

According to Daneri, some of the evidence includes McLaurin's SUV, which crashed near the scene, two handguns, which investigators found outside of that same vehicle, and witness testimony.

Two witnesses had to be detained to testify. 

Meanwhile, Mitchell's lawyer John Carlson said this is a case of mistaken identity. 

"Demond Mitchell was not in the SUV and was not involved in this horrible crime." said Carlson.

Carlson said that Mitchell was at his girlfriend's house the night of the shooting. 

During opening statements, Carlson also brought up the fact that a letterman jacket found in the SUV with the name Mitchell on it, did not belong to his client, instead another player with the last name Mitchell. Carlson said the jacket had the number five on it, while his defendant wore the number two. 

Russell's lawyer Eric Hackwelder also said that Russell was misidentified, and that he was at his girlfriend's house the night the shooting occurred. 

According to Hackwelder, Russell didn't learn of the shooting, until the next day. 

Jones lawyer, Jessica Man,n said that only evidence against Jones is an non-credible witness statement, and a palm print from Jones that was lifted from the SUV.  Mann says that the palm print could have been placed there any time, and that Jones was not in the SUV the night of the shooting. 

McLaurin's lawyer Gene Placidi said that even though McLaurin's SUV was found crashed near the scene, there is no DNA evidence linking McLaurin to the shooting death of Franklin. 

Testimony continues Tuesday at 8:45 a.m. at the Erie County Courthouse. 

Judge William Cunningham is presiding over the trial.

1 p.m. Update

The murder trial for four men charged in a 2015 deadly shooting is officially underway.

Keshawn McLaurin, Demond Mitchell, Jahaun Jones and Stephen Russell, are all charged with murder in the death of Shakur Franklin, 16.

The four entered a crowded Erie County courtroom about 10:00 Monday morning as opening arguments got underway. Erie County District Attorney, Jack Daneri led off opening arguments detailing the crime scene near West 29th and Summit Streets. Daneri went on to lay out the commonwealth’s case of how all four defendants were inside of the drive-by vehicle and are responsible for the death of Shakur Franklin. Franklin is one of two teens shot and killed that night.

Defense Attorney’s John Carlson, Gene Placidi, Eric Hackwelder and Jessica Mann all gave their opening statements before lunch as well.

Carlson who represents Demond Mitchell in the case, argued that his client was not at the scene of the crime or in the vehicle. Carlson says his client told Erie Police officers that he was with his girlfriend in the 700 block of Wallace St. when the crime occurred. Carslon asked the jury to consider his client innocent and the evidence will prove the rest.

Defense Attorney, Eric Hackwelder who is representing Stephen Russell also argued that his client is a case of mistaken identity.

Philadelphia Attorney Jessica Mann, who represents Jahaun Jones stated that her client did know the driver of the car involved in the shooting but was not in the car at the time. She admitted that there was a palm print of Jones found in the wrecked car, but there was no evidence to prove when that was placed there.

The last defense attorney to deliver opening arguments Monday morning was Gene Placidi. Placidi is representing Keyshawn McLaurin who is accused of driving the ford explorer that was involved in the shooting and crashed shortly after near the scene. Placidi says his client had nothing to do with the shooting death of Shakur Franklin and McLaurin’s fingerprints were not found on the two guns found outside the vehicle.

Witness testimony is expected to begin after lunch.

Copyright 2018 Erie News Now. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.