The trial for a former Nickerson man charged with a number of serious felonies got underway Tuesday afternoon with the victim taking the stand in the case.
Zachary Lawson is one of three men charged in a case from 2011 involving the alleged kidnapping and beating of a Nickerson man. He’s charged with several felonies including aggravated kidnapping, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, aggravated battery, aggravated burglary, aggravated intimidation of a witness, criminal threat, possession of methamphetamine, marijuana, anabolic steroids and criminal use of weapon.
He along with Jeremia Palmer, and Jedrik Smith were arrested for the alleged kidnapping and beating of Larry McVey. McVey reported that he had been kidnapped and beaten by the three men back on September 8, 2011.
On the stand, he told of being taken from his home at 1:30 a-m and taken to Lawson’s garage where he worked on cars, located next to his home. He says he was beaten by Palmer and Smith and suffered three fractures to one of his cheeks, cracked ribs, a possible concussion and cuts and scrapes to his feet and shoulder. He also told of the two men waiving a double edged ax and a sledge hammer around hitting the pavement near his head. This apparently over him allegedly using someone else to buy his drugs. He eventually gave two names just to get the beatings to stop. The two men also allegedly threatened him with his life if he didn’t bring the two men mentioned to him or called police.
The defense was able to show on cross examination that Lawson never stuck the victim during the ordeal, but the state countered getting the victim to admit that Lawson never did anything to stop the beatings either. In fact, it was another man who was present, but not involved, that convinced the victim to give Palmer and Smith the names of some drug dealers to get the beating to stop.
The two allegedly told the victim to bring the two men to them or they would come back and kill him, his kids and family.
Palmer and Smith have already been sentenced in this case. Palmer was given a total of 78-months in prison, for this case and two others. Smith was sentenced to 196-months for two cases against him including the kidnapping case.
The trial continues in front of Judge Tim Chambers on Wednesday.