Witnesses Take The Stand In Manchester Road Rage Fatal Shooting Case

MANCHESTER, NH — Day two of the trial for Tyrese Harris, accused of second-degree murder, brought several eyewitnesses of the shooting to the stand to testify.

Shane Beauchemin, who was on South Willow Street at the time of the shooting, told the jurors he is a Hillsborough County Deputy Sheriff, but was off duty. He spoke about hearing the gunshot and seeing Dezmel Cardakovic fall backward and lay lifeless on the pavement.

“His head was at the window, not in the window,” Beauchemin said. “His arms were up, and I recall seeing something coming to the window, and I heard one pop.”

Immediately after the shooting, he saw the blue Honda CR-V that Harris was driving quickly leave the scene, he said.

A woman in a car with her boyfriend, Robert Holden, said they were facing the Honda and witnessed Cardakovic walk up to the CR-V and saw Cardakovic get shot. She told the jurors that her boyfriend was stunned and watched as the Honda went around other vehicles, speeding away. He then pulled a turn, with her in the seat, and followed the Honda.

Prosecutors planned to have Holden take the stand and play the audio from a 9-1-1 call. The defense team asked that the call not be allowed in its entirety.

Judge Diane Nicolosi listened to arguments from both the prosecution and defense while the jurors were out of the courtroom. After reading the transcripts of the 9-1-1 call and listening to it, the judge allowed it to be played.

Nicolisi explained the defense was trying to make a case that Holden was a vigilante and when disagreed. She said the calm demeanor of Holden on the call also showed him relaying factual information.

Holden then took to the witness stand and, after pointing out on a large aerial photo, pointed to where he was stopped at a light. He said he witnessed the shooting and was the first witness to say he saw the car door open before the shooting. He acknowledged he did not know who or how the door opened. Immediately after the shooting, he pulled a U-turn and followed the vehicle south on South Willow Street.

Holdentold the jurors he looked directly at the shooter and described as a Hispanic male, with scruff and hair in a “man bun.” When asked if the alleged shooter was in the courtroom, he pointed to Harris and identified him — but said his appearance had significantly changed since the incident.

Holden said the Honda cut through the Irving gas station parking lot, which is where The Common Man is. He said the vehicle got onto Goffs Falls Road and was speeding and operating recklessly.

The defense team repeatedly challenged Holden, saying he was less than a car's length away, and Holden disagreed several times.

Lawyers for Harris, in opening statements, said Harris, who was also charged with reckless conduct, was driving that way because he feared Holden and feared for his safety. Holden described turning onto Brown Avenue, traveling north, and at nearly 100 mph, to try to keep the Honda in his view.

The defense attorney said Holden was “chasing” Harris, and Holden repeatedly said he was following him. He said his Range Rover was very fast and relayed the information as he viewed the car's operation.

The attorney read from a transcript, where Holden told a detective, “I’ll tell you what, I thought about taking my truck and hitting him and rolling his fucking car over.”

Defense attorneys stressed that the 9-1-1 operator told him not to follow. However, he continued despite that.

Holden told jurors he broke off following as Harris started operating in the wrong lane and continued to speed. He was able to provide a direction of travel to the police.

Later in the 9-1-1 call, he is asked to return to the scene, which Holden said he complied with, and then met police at the station for an interview.

During court on Wednesday, Harris appeared again in a shirt and tie, with rosary beads around his neck. The same small group of Harris supporters were visible in the courtroom sitting behind him.

About 10 people sat in the courtroom on the side reserved for the family and friends of the victim.

On Thursday, the trial will continue with several witnesses expected to testify.

Harris faces two counts of second-degree murder for recklessly and knowingly shooting Cardakovic, falsifying physical evidence, and reckless conduct.

The shooting took place last October on South Willow Street near the Mall of New Hampshire when there was significant traffic and many witnesses.

©Jeffrey Hastings www.frameofmindphoto.com/news