Extra

A prosecutor told jurors today that a Richmond man should be convicted of murder for shooting an Oakland man during a confrontation and an attempted robbery outside a Berkeley bar three years ago. 

Alameda County Deputy District Attorney Tim Wellman said Nicholas Beaudreaux, 23, of Richmond, shot Wayne Drummond, a 23-year-old Oakland man, after Drummond got into a confrontation with Beaudreaux and 21-year-old Brandon Crowder of Berkeley outside Blakes on Telegraph at 2367 Telegraph Ave. in Berkeley shortly after midnight on Sept. 4, 2006. 

In his closing argument in Beaudreaux’s murder trial, Wellman said Beaudreaux told Drummond, “I don’t know how to fight but I have some metal in my waist” and pulled out a gun, stuck it into Drummond’s neck and demanded Drummond’s wallet. 

The prosecutor said that instead of surrendering and handing over his wallet, Drummond chose to fight back. In a struggle over control of Beaudreaux’s gun, the gun went off and a single bullet struck Drummond in his torso, Wellman said. 

However, Wellman said Drummond’s friends and a Berkeley police officer who later attended to Drummond didn’t realize that Drummond had been shot and didn’t take him to the hospital immediately. 

Instead, was taken by his friends to the Alpha Omicron Pi sorority at 2311 Prospect St., near the UC Berkeley campus, where he collapsed and died shortly after 2:30 a.m. on Sept. 4, 2006. 

Crowder also was charged with murder in connection with Drummond’s death but he pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter on June 15, just after a jury had been selected for the murder trial. 

As part of his plea agreement, Crowder testified against Beaudreaux last week. 

Beaudreaux and Crowder weren’t arrested until February 2008 because it took authorities a while to develop sufficient evidence in the case. 

Beaudreaux’s lawyer, David Kelvin, will give his closing argument later today after which Wellman will give his rebuttal argument. 

Jurors are expected to begin deliberating Tuesday morning after receiving legal instructions from Alameda County Superior Court C. Don Clay, who is presiding over the case.