Double Murder Suspect Representing Himself In Court Shouts At Jury

A double murder suspect in the US who is representing himself in court opened his death penalty trial by shouting at the jury. Watch here:

Ronnie Oneal III is accused of the March 2018 murders of girlfriend Kenyatta Barron and daughter Ron'Niveya - who had cerebral palsy and couldn't speak.

Having been deemed fit to stand trial and represent himself, Oneal shouted at the jury on Wednesday (16 June): "I look alone. But I am backed by a mighty God.

"The evidence is going to show that I love my children.

"The evidence will not show you that my son witnessed me beat his mom to death, nor did he witness me shoot his mom. In fact, he didn't witness much at all."

FOX13

Assistant State Attorney Scott Harmon said that prosecutors would prove Oneal wounded Barron with a shotgun, before beating her to death and using a hatchet to kill his nine-year-old daughter. He is also accused of wounding his then eight-year-old son with a knife.

Oneal said he killed Barron in self-defence after she attacked the children, claiming police had tampered with evidence.

In another courtroom outburst, Oneal yelled: "The evidence is going to show that law enforcement tampered with evidence to meet their high burden of proof.

"Because originally it wasn't enough. So we had to tamper with evidence. Since it was such evidence already but we still had to tamper with evidence."

He said he was the victim of 'some of the most vicious, lying, fabricating, fictitious government you ever seen'.

He added: "The state cannot prove that I premeditatedly murdered anyone. When time is all said and done, you will see who is the mass murderers in Tampa Bay."

FOX13

Oneal's now 11-year-old son testified via video link and faced cross-examination from his dad.

Oneal asked his son: "Did I hurt you that night?"

"Yes," he responded.

"How did I hurt you?" Oneal asked.

"You stabbed me," his son replied.

Prosecutors said Oneal set fire to the house - in Tampa Florida's Riverview area - after the killings, with the surviving son fleeing and telling authorities what he had witnessed.

State attorney Harmon told the court: "The first words that came out of this brave boy's mouth: 'My daddy killed my mommy.'"

The trial is expected to last through the end of next week - if found guilty, Oneal could face the death penalty.

Topics: US News, crime

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey