LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A major murder trial is underway in downtown Louisville. For seven years, multiple families have been waiting to see what unfolds in one of Louisville's most heinous homicides.
Brice Rhodes is accused of brutally murdering 14-year-old Larry Ordway and 16-year-old Maurice Gordon after they allegedly witnessed him shoot and kill Christopher Jones, 40, back in 2016. He has been charged with murder, abuse of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence.
Opening statements began Tuesday afternoon following jury selection. The prosecution began by describing Rhodes actions as "calculated and cruel."
According to prosecutors, Rhodes, with the help of the two boys and other suspects, decided to kill a man they had a hit out for in May of 2016. The group got into Rhodes' car and drove around until they found a person walking who appeared to be the same man.
Prosecutors told the jury that's when Rhodes yelled out his back window and fired his gun, killing Jones, who ended up being the wrong target. In court, the jury watched the moments police found Jones' body laying in the street.
The prosecution said days after the shooting, Rhodes heard a phone call between Gordon and a friend where he was talking about the shooting. To cover up the homicide, they said Rhodes drove Gordon and Ordway to his home, tied them up and repeatedly stabbed them as they cried for help.
Attorneys said Rhodes then burned the boys' bodies near a park in west Louisville while he had two other teens clean up the evidence. Police said the boys' DNA was found underneath Rhodes' carpet, however the defense says otherwise.
"'I stabbed him. I stabbed Maurice in his side. I drove on him. I ran him over,'" the defense began. "These quotes are from someone involved in this case, but these are not quotes from Brice Rhodes. These statements were made from Anjuan Carter, talking about killing his best friend Maurice Gordon and running over a helpless Christopher Jones."
Rhodes attorneys say the lack of evidence will show he isn't responsible for the homicide. They said no murder weapon was found and Rhodes' DNA isn't on any of the evidence, except for the steering wheel of his Mazda.
The defense said Rhodes is just an "easy target" for prosecutors to blame adding he had a romantic relationship with the teen boys' mother that ended poorly.
No death penalty
Rhodes will not face the death penalty in this case after Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge Julie Kaelin said there "credible historical, unbiased evidence" indicating that Rhodes is intellectually disabled and suffers from "serious mental illness."
Court documents show a summary of Rhodes’ IQ tests over the years and that he has tested as high as 90 and as low as 55, so he is "in the realm of intellectually functioning."
The maximum penalty Rhodes could face if convicted is life in prison without the possibility for parole.
History of outbursts
Rhodes has a history of outbursts in the courtroom. During a 2020 court hearing, he accused a Louisville judge of having a sexual relationship with prosecutors and accused him of being a racist.
During one hearing, Rhodes was brought into the courtroom restrained and wearing a face mask after spitting on and attacking officers.
But in this trial, Judge Julie Kaelin said outbursts like those won't be tolerated in her courtroom.
Last Friday, Kaelin warned Rhodes if he causes a disturbance during the trial he will be removed from the courtroom and sit outside or wear a device on his leg that deputies can use to shock him.
Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.