NORFOLK, Va. - The trial is now underway for a man accused of shooting several people, including a baby, in Norfolk two years ago.
The suspect, Kimahni Lankford, 22, appeared in Norfolk Circuit Court Tuesday as the jury was selected and opening statements were made. One witness, a former NPD officer, took the stand.
The victim, Honesty Brehon, had just turned 1-month-old the day she was shot, leaving her with devastating injuries that will be with her for the rest of her life.
Honesty is now two-years old, but became a one of Norfolk’s youngest victims of gun violence on August 25, 2020.
She was exactly 30-days-old when police say Lankford shot Honesty, her mother and three other adults in the courtyard at Lexington Park Apartments.
While the others recovered, Honesty is still dealing with the horrible injuries she suffered that day.
Honesty’s grandma, Arkeda Brehon, who was in the courtroom Tuesday, tells News 3 the toddler is disabled and can only walk using one leg.
She also said the two-year-old has a learning disability and is unable to talk right now. Honesty also suffered extensive damage to her reproductive system and part of her intestine.
Honesty’s cousin Jazmin Sherard spoke with News 3 last April.
"Honesty is definitely a trooper,” said Sherard. "We’re really holding onto our faith that another miracle will happen, and we know anything is possible. She’s alive."
On the first day of the trial Tuesday, prosecutors played a 911 call from a frantic neighbor the night of the shooting, yelling that a newborn had just been shot.
The prosecutor said Lankford used an assault rifle.
During opening arguments, the defense argued there is no evidence proving Lankford was the one who pulled the trigger that August night.
Lankford’s lawyer, Eric Korslund, said Honesty’s uncle, Lavan Platte named Lankford as the suspect several months after the shooting as Platte was turning himself for a probation violation.
The defense told the jury that Honesty’s uncle had been convicted for lying to police in the past and can’t be trusted.
Lankford is facing multiple charges for 12 separate crimes stemming from that night. The indictments include aggravated malicious wounding, malicious wounding, and firearms charges. Prosecutors dropped some of the charges against him.
The trial is expected to last three to four days.
