YOUNGSTOWN — On the second day of testimony in the murder trial of Kenneth L. Carter, 35, and Terry Hopkins, 23, Joe Poole, the uncle of the victim, Rasean Graham, 42, testified about the phone call he had the evening Graham was killed on Jan. 24, 2025.

Poole, of Youngstown, said one of the things they talked about was Kenneth Carter, one of the defendants, who is also a cousin of Poole’s.

Poole said Carter owed Graham some money and Graham was “waiting on (Carter) to bring him some money.” Mahoning County Assistant Prosecutor John Juhasz asked Poole to describe whatever else Graham said about Carter on that phone call.

Poole said he recognized Graham’s voice on the phone, and Poole “heard another voice” and “assumed it was Kenny (Carter)” because Graham told him that Carter was there at the time.

“Did Rasean say anything about the front door?” Juhasz asked.

“Well, he was wondering why he was using the front door when everybody always uses the back door, even Kenny,” Poole said. “He didn’t know why he was coming through the front door.”

“He didn’t know why Kenny was coming through the front door?” Juhasz asked.

“Right,” Poole said.

Poole said he heard a conversation between Graham and another person, but after that there was no other conversation or any other activity.

“The phone went dead,” Poole said.

Poole said he learned later that night that Graham had been killed.

Defense attorney Dave Betras cross-examined Poole, asking, “Mr. Poole, you are capable of making mistakes, are you not?”

“Yes, sir,” Poole responded.

“And your recollection isn’t super good, is it?”

“No,” he replied.

“And you used to speak with your nephew many times. Isn’t that correct?”

“Yes,” Poole said.

Betras asked Poole if he could explain why phone records do not indicate that Poole’s phone had a call with Graham’s phone that night.

“I had two phones at that time,” Poole said. Betras told Poole there were “no calls around the time of the murder.” Poole said he does not know what time the murder was.

Betras asked why Poole was in the witness chair wearing an orange Mahoning County jail jumpsuit. Poole agreed that he is in custody of the county jail.

“And you are in custody because you did not voluntarily come here, did you?”

“No,” Poole agreed.

“You were arrested to come here, weren’t you?” Betras asked.

“I came to turn myself in,” Poole said.

“And as far as you can tell, you will be in the Mahoning County jail until you testify. Isn’t that correct?”

“Yes, sir,” Poole replied.

The trial resumes this morning with more witnesses.

Betras asked if it is true that Poole did not speak to the Youngstown police about his nephew’s murder until April 8, 2025.

Poole agreed and also agreed that he had spoken with people about Graham’s killing before speaking with police. Betras asked if Poole remembered telling police that Graham had told Poole that Graham said during that Jan. 24 phone call, “I think that is Kenny.”

Poole replied, “He didn’t say I think it’s Kenny. He said it was Kenny. He must have seen him on (surveillance) camera.”

Poole said he does not recall telling police that Graham said, “I think it is Kenny.”

So Betras played that part of the videotaped interview Poole had with police. On it, Poole told investigators, “I think that’s Kenny.”

At that point, Poole agreed he said that, but added that he never promised that he “got every word exactly what I said back then.”

Betras asked if Poole recognized Carter’s or Hopkins’ voices on that phone call, and Poole said he did not.

BCI SCIENTIST

An Ohio Bureau of Criminal investigations forensic scientist with the gunshot residue division in Richfield, Michelle Snyder, testified Wednesday that she analyzed a watch and hooded sweatshirt tied to Carter for gunshot residue. She testified that the watch and sweatshirt tested positive for gunshot residue.

The samples were collected the night of Graham’s killing when Youngstown officers located Carter in a car. Mahoning County jail records state that Carter was booked into the jail Jan. 27, 2025. Hopkins was booked into the jail Jan. 29, 2025.

Youngstown Police Crime Scene Investigator Shakir Perkins also testified Wednesday that he recovered three cellphones from the residence when he went there the night Graham was killed. He also collected three bullet shell casings.