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Man accused in Dilworth bar murder case to take stand Monday

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The jury will have to wait until at least Monday to hear what Kenan Gay said happened outside the Dilworth bar where prosecutors say he pushed another man to his death in March 2012.

Gay is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Robert Kingston outside Ed's Tavern.

Prosecutors said Gay pushed Kingston out of the bar and into Park Road where he was hit and killed by a car moments later.

Several prosecution witnesses, including the owner of Ed's Tavern, testified that they saw Gay push Kingston repeatedly until he landed in the street.

Gay's defense team has said that Kingston, who was extremely drunk, stumbled into the street.
    
They said Gay will testify in the case, and on Friday they called a series of witnesses to vouch for his character and honesty, including a school teacher, several friends and the sheriff of Lee County.

But none of the witnesses contradicted the prosecution's version of the moments leading up to Kingston's death.  None of them said they saw what happened outside the bar or whether Gay pushed Kingston.

That makes Gay's testimony more critical.

Court resumes at 9:30 a.m. Monday.

Gay is charged with second-degree murder in the case. Prosecutors say he pushed Robert Kingston, 30, into Park Road after Kingston had been making advances on Gay’s girlfriend -- now wife -- at Ed’s Tavern in March 2012. A vehicle struck and killed Kingston.

On Thursday, Gay’s wife, Elizabeth Wicker Gay, broke down repeatedly as she described the events that led to a murder charge.

She said that Kingston was “creepy” as he repeatedly approached and eventually groped her.

“He tried to kiss me … I froze,” she said. “I was in a complete state of shock."

She also broke down as she described learning that Gay was going to be charged with murder, and how she sympathizes with Kingston’s family.

“For the last two years and three months, I’ve thought about the Kingston family,” she said.

But prosecutor Anna Greene questioned Gay’s testimony and her tears.

“You’re crying because your husband is on trial for murder, correct?” Greene asked.

She also questioned how Gay had claimed not to see what happened outside the tavern in those fateful moments even though video inside the bar appeared to show her looking out toward the street.

“Your husband is charged with pushing Mr. Kingston into the street.  You don’t want to be the one to say that, do you?” Greene asked.

 Follow Channel 9 reporter Mark Becker on Twitter for live updates on the trial.

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