A young man was recently arrested, stemming from an incident where a man was killed outside a convenience store. Georgia police suspect that the man was involved in an altercation with three other men, and the police claim that he shot another man. The man must now begin his criminal defense against the murder charge.

According to the report, an eyewitness gave testimony to the police claiming that the four men came in contact with each other outside of a convenience store near Atlanta. The witness claims that three of the men were involved in an altercation. Then the victim, 41 years old, approached — supposedly with the intent of buying a lottery ticket from the store.

Allegedly, the 21-year-old suspect punched the man in the face and subsequently shot him. Neither the report nor the witness gave a motive for the original altercation or why they believed the man would be shot for supposedly just walking up to the store. Nevertheless, police tracked the man to a friend’s house and arrested him for murder. He is being held without bond.

While eyewitness testimony certainly counts as evidence, it can prove to be less trustworthy than hard evidence such as DNA samples or video footage. If the only evidence Georgia prosecutors have against the man is the witness testimony, then it may be difficult for them to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Nevertheless, the man has a long road ahead of him as he works with his criminal defense to ensure his not inconsiderable legal rights are fully protected as his case proceeds.

Source: Dallas-Hiram Ga. Patch, Saturday’s Murder Suspect Arrested, John Barker, Nov. 19, 2013