Opening arguments begin in trial of man accused of stabbing, killing ex-boyfriend

RIVERSIDE — The man accused of killing his former lover and running to Kentucky is now on trial for Murder.

Friends found the victim dead in his Riverside home a year ago and police arrested Cornelius Davon Brogan, who goes by Davon, the next day in Kentucky.

News Center 7′s Mike Campbell was there as the prosecutors and Brogan’s lawyers presented very different pictures of what happened.

Jury selection for the case took place on Nov. 27, exactly one year from the day when Scott Hannah was found dead in his own home.

Tuesday inside the courthouse prosecutors told that jury that Hannah was killed by a man he once dated.

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Prosecutors said that Davon and Scott dated for three years and broke up about 10 months before Hannah’s murder.

Those prosecutors said neighborhood ring cameras showed Brogan going into Hannah’s home on Sunday morning, then walking out and driving away six minutes later.

Other friends of Hannah went to check on him when he didn’t respond all day in their group text but stumbled on a horrible scene.

“Three friends opened the door, found him dead right there in the doorway in a pool of blood,” Bryan Moore, assistant prosecuting attorney said.

Brogan’s lawyer John Meehling had a much different view of what happened.

He told jurors the two men were still close friends and often had coffee together.

He promised that Brogan would take the stand to explain what happened, but said he believed this was a case of self-defense.

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“I’m going to tell you he will testify, he’s dying to tell you, he can’t believe he had to kill his best friend,” Meehling told the jury.

Prosecutors made it clear that Brogan didn’t have a mark on him when police tracked him down.

They said Hannah, a cancer survivor and anti-bullying advocate died of blood loss from at least a dozen stab wounds.

“Scott Hannah survived cancer, he did not survive Davon Brogan,” Moore said.

Prosecutors will present a number of witnesses to the jury over the next couple of days but Brogan’s lawyer makes it clear, they will hear his defense from him.

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