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BRENTWOOD - A jury is now weighing whether the son of a millionaire businessman conspired with friends and provided payoffs for the 2005 murder-for-hire killing of Jack Reid.
Brentwood - Updated, 3:37 p.m. Jesse Brooks sought revenge just as his multi-millionaire father did when they planned the murder-for-hire killing of their one-time mover in 2005, prosecutors said today during closing arguments. Click on the video at left for an excerpt from the defense's closing arguments. Click on the one at right for the defense's reaction to the prosecution's closing arguments:
BRENTWOOD - In today's closing arguments, lawyers want to say that while he was involved in 2003, Jesse Brooks later left the conspiracy before the 2005 murder.
More Jay Brooks >>>
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- > 'Take care of my father ... I don't want him hurt' (1)
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- > 'We should probably just try to kill him' (8)
- > Prosecution: Murder 'was a Brooks family affair'
- > Judge: No expert testimony on witness' memory
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- > 2nd man pleads guilty in Reid slaying (1)
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'We should probably just try to kill him'
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By JAMES A. KIMBLE
Union Leader Correspondent
Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009
BRENTWOOD – In testimony this morning, convicted murderer Michael Benton said he was drawn in the murder-for-hire scheme to kill Jack Reid at the behest of millionaire businessman John “Jay” Brooks and eventually his son.
.jpg "Michael Benton (JAMES KIMBLE)")
Michael Benton (JAMES KIMBLE)
Benton, 33, formerly of Manchester, took the stand this morning in Rockingham County Superior Court as a witness against his former best friend, Jesse Brooks.
Brooks, 32, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder for allegedly taking part in plans to murder Reid in 2003 and 2005.
Reid was bludgeoned to death by Benton, John Brooks and two other men with a three-pound sledgehammer after being lured to a Deerfield horse barn on June 27, 2005.
Benton testified this morning that Jesse Brooks joined in plans to kill Reid shortly after John Brooks hired Benton and Andy Carter for the murder in the fall of 2003.
In fact, Jesse Brooks returned to New Hampshire from where he was living in Beverly Hills, Calif., to aid his father after Benton and Carter failed in their attempts to shoot Reid outside of his trailer in Londonderry, Benton testified.
“He wanted to handle this problem and get it out of the way because he was tired of hearing of it from this father,” Benton testified.
The elder Brooks sought revenge against Reid and accused him of stealing a pair of moving trucks full of Brooks family valuables.
Reid was hired by John Brooks to help load the trucks with the family’s valuables. They were left overnight at a Brooks-owned warehouse just outside of Manchester Airport when they were stolen.
Jesse Brooks showed no surprise when Benton told him that he was going to Reid’s trailer at night trying to kill Reid with a shotgun supplied by his father, according to Benton.
.jpg "Defense attorney Maria Durant and accused conspirator Jesse Brooks. (JAMES KIMBLE)")
Defense attorney Maria Durant and accused conspirator Jesse Brooks. (JAMES KIMBLE)
“(Jesse) said that it was ‘go time’ and that it was probably too late to get the property back that was stolen,” Benton said. “(He said) there was no use in trying to interrogate him and we should probably just try to kill him.”
John Brooks, who made his fortune as the founder of the medical supply business PolyVac Inc. in the 1990s, is now serving life in prison for capital murder. Benton pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for his role in the killing and became a star witness for the state. His testimony is expect to last at least until Thursday.
►Prosecution: Murder 'was a Brooks family affair'
►Judge Lynn: John Brooks' crime was 'monstrous ... in its level of evilness' (1)
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YOUR COMMENTS
Wow! what an attitude to have. Maybe this world would be better if we didn't have so much negative attitude and be good to one another, then this world wouldn't be as screwed up as it is today.
- Bob, Manchester
When your god is money and the culture of your nation reveres possessions over life, this is what we get.
- Herb C., Concord
Yet the rich who do break the law seem to think that they are above it because of how many digits are in their bank account. The news is filled with those who are lucky to be part of the "have" group ripping off people in the "have not" section of society. I'm not saying that members of lower levels of society don't commit crimes and feel as if they should get away with it, I'm just saying that when it comes to people who are wealthy and they commit a crime they all feel as if they shouldn't be held to the same laws as us common folk. Come on! This guy gets his son and friend to kill a guy over supposed stolen property? Why not take the man to court and let him prove if he's innocent or guilty. They had no right to kill him.
- Rose, Manchester
Rose,
I've met MANY poor people who use those with more money to do their bidding, and I've met MANY wealthy folk who are kind-hearted and taken advantage of. There are users and givers and wise people and ignorant people. It matters little how much one has and far more what one is willing to do with what they have.
- Deirdre, Dover
All this violence over some old furniture? Come on!
- Holly, Manchester
Hey Rose, your personal opinion of rich people doesn't ring to true. It would be analgous to me saying that all street crime is committed by poor people, which is obviously wrong. A person with money is no more or less likely to commit crimes than one without money. Bottom line is whether or not you're rich, poor, or otherwise, it takes a black heart, a bad person, to commit crimes at all.
- David, Merrimack
Rose,
That is a very general statement----there are rich and poor that disrespect the law and have no morals. Evil can come from any where.
- Steve, Manchester
The rich always feel like they are above the law and can play with the rest of the human population as if they were pawns on a chess board. It's sickening.
- Rose, Manchester
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