Witness: Double murder suspect was a ‘bit intoxicated’

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – In the minutes leading up to a double homicide, Dmikkeal Alan, in an eyewitness testimony on Wednesday, described suspect Robert Richardson Jr. as being “a bit intoxicated, but not overly aggressive.”

Richardson is accused of killing Anthony Howard and Eric Takemoto on Oct. 2, 2015 during a fight at the Hourglass Pub in Northeast Portland. The trial is scheduled to last through mid-November.

Alan testified that he and his girlfriend went to bar to be with some friends. He described seeing Richardson at the bar wearing a Seattle Seahawks jacket and described Richardson as “looking like Chris Brown.” He also described Richardson’s behavior as being a bit unusual.

Alan said o one at the bar that night seemed to know Richardson.

“He tried to talk to me,” Alan told the jury. “I couldn’t understand him.”

Richardson tried to buy Alan and his friends a round of drink and was trying to play pool with them before Alan and his girlfriend went out to smoke a cigarette.

Then, he told the jury he heard a commotion. They exited the bar and eventually walked to a shelter in an area in the back parking lot that had been turned into a make-shift smoking area. There was a roof, a chain linked fence and two couches.

Howard, Takemoto and Richardson were both already outside, Alan testified.

Prosecutors allege that there was a fight between Takemoto and Richardson. It’s still not entirely clear what the two men were arguing about.

During the prosecution’s opening statements, Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Glen Banfield told the jury that Howard was trying to keep the peace between Takemoto and Richardson.

Barnett focused in on Alan’s recollection of the moments leading up the shooting.

Under cross examination, Alan confirmed that prior to arriving at the bar and he and his girlfriend had smoke some marijuana, but he said he didn’t feel high and that the effects did not impair his ability to see, hear or remember the events from that night.

Alan testified that he saw Richardson “do something with his shirt,” then pulled out the gun and started shooting. Alan said he saw Takemoto went down in a doorway the leads into the bar and that after the shooting ended, he went over to check on Howard. Both men died at the scene.

Video from the shooting shows Howard’s arms extended and with his palms open and facing Richardson. Prosecutors said Howard got in between Richardson and Takemoto and was in a position someone would take to calm a fight down.

During questioning from Barnett, Alan was asked if his relationships with the two victims would influence his testimony. Barnett suggested that Alan would want to see Richardson convicted solely because he was friends with Takemoto and was becoming friends with Howard.

Alan said, “No…from the bottom of my heart, I hope the defendant gets back on track to be a great individual for this community.”