Murder trial testimony includes suspect’s interview with police

Physical evidence gathered at the scene of a fatal shooting was discussed Thursday during the second day of Christian Vance Lane Sr.’s murder trial.

Lane, 31, is on trial in Comanche County District Judge Scott D. Meaders’ court for felony counts of second-degree murder and possession of a firearm after former felony conviction in one case and endangering others while eluding/attempting to elude police, records indicate.

Lane is accused of shooting and killing Elijah Jones, 20, around 2:13 a.m. Jan. 17, 2023, in the parking lot of Aces & Eights Lounge, 1825 Cache Road. Jones was found bleeding from his neck and pronounced dead at the scene.

Video was shown Thursday of the Jan. 26, 2023, interview of Lane by Lawton Police Detective Robert Meurant. Lane had been arrested the day before following a high-speed pursuit that began with law enforcement attempting to arrest him at his apartment at 2505 NW 82nd. Lane faces a separate felony charge relating to the pursuit.

Lane denied knowing Jones or of even hearing of him. He and Corey Schexnayder had been to the bar on Jan. 17. He told Meurant they’d had a couple of beers and were talking to some “white girls” and left with no problems from anyone. He said he took his friend to his apartment before going home for the night. From security video inside the club, the detective believed Lane was staring down Jones before he left.

When asked if he knew anything about the shooting and Jones’ death, Lane said, “No, sir.”

“I ain’t got no beef with nobody,” he said. “I don’t know Elijah Jones.”

Meurant countered by asking Lane: “What If I told you that night some people had issues with you and Corey?”

“I don’t believe it,” Lane responded.

Meurant referred to security video inside and outside the bar. The bar’s security video showed Jones was shot by who the prosecution believes is Lane, who fired over the privacy fence to the north of the parking lot. Another shot was fired through the fence, striking a nearby car. Video showed two vehicles backed into parking spot near Jones.

In the interview, Meurant confronted Lane by again asking him to give his side of what happened.

“One-hundred percent of the questions I have, I have the answers to,” he said.

Lane responded: “If you’ve got the answers, what’s the point?”

“I had no involvement,” Lane said again. “If the cameras captured everything, then you should have your suspect.”

Lane’s defense attorney Joi Miskel asked why Meurant didn’t do more extensive checks on other people in the club. A large number of men inside were seen wearing clothing similar to Lane’s that night: long-sleeve black shirts, pants and hats. Meurant said he was 100 percent certain who his suspect was.

Meurant responded that there were many uncooperative witnesses at the club, including those who fled. The owner of the car and the vehicle that had its windshield shot during the incident have not been located, he said. Miskel asked why that is.

“We just had street names,” he said. “Nobody would cooperate and provide full first and last names.”

A trio of Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) criminologists testified about the shell casing, bullet and bullet fragment recovered at the scene. Miskel asked why other guns, including one found on Jones, weren’t tested.

“I don’t know why I did not,” he replied.

Earlier, an OSBI criminologist testified about physical evidence from Lane’s clothes submitted for gunshot residue testing. In each pocket, one microscopic particle of residue, two in total, were recovered. Nine black shirts of Lane’s had no traces, she testified. She said amounts for gunshot residue discovered vary for several reasons and vary from case to case.

Returning to Miskel’s cross-examination of Meurant, she asked why he was certain Lane had a beef with Jones, he referred back to the security video inside the bar.

“That’s based on what I seen on the screen,” he said.

At least one more prosecution witness is scheduled to open the trial today.