Claville goes to trial in murder case of SU student Stillman

Defense and prosecuting attorneys are still searching for answers in the 1999 homecoming murder of Southern University student Robert Stillman.
Derrick Claville, 21,the son of Caddo Parish Juvenile Court Judge Vernon Claville, is charged with second degree murder and possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute. If found guilty, Claville faces a mandatory life sentence.
Shortly after the trial began on Wednesday, October 24, State District Judge Bonnie Jackson halted it.
Jackson granted a stay in the proceedings so Claville’s lawyers could appeal her decision that the jury should not be told the specifics of a plea bargain offered a few months ago to the defendant.
During opening arguments, prosecutor Tony Clayton described Claville as a cold-blooded killer.
“He was a cocky youth who drove a nice truck and took pride in the fact that he was a judge’s son,” said Clayton.
Clayton recreated the night of the murder to the jury. According to Clayton, other people in the dorm heard the robbery attempt and saw Claville shoot Stillman in the back as he tried to run down the hallway.
Defense attorney David Price told juror that some people interpret Claville’s smile as a smirk but that was just his personality.
Price said Claville and his friends stayed at a friend’s apartment off campus the night of the shooting.
“Campus police made a rush judgement in suspecting Claville as the murderer,” said Price.
On Monday, Clayton told the jury that Claville failed to show up for court when the case was supposed to go to trial in February. He was later found at a California motel.
“He did the stupidest thing he could’ve done when he fled to California,” said defense attorney Price.
According to Price, Claville fled because he got conflicting advice from his parents and lawyers and he did not trust the system.
Price stated that he could not answer the questions as to who killed Stillman but names will began to surface later in the trial; someone who shares the first name of Claville.
The proceedings got more interesting on Wednesday when witnesses were called to the stand to testify.
Southern University running back Javen Bienemy identified Claville by his distinct “Elvis Presley” sideburns as he pointed him out as the killer.
According to Bienemy, he was visiting a friend’s room in the dorm when he heard a loud confrontation and the slamming of the hallway stairwell door.
He said he stepped out into the hall and he saw Stillman screaming, “They’re trying to rob me.”
Claville then stepped out into the hall and shot Stillman. Bienemy was not sure exactly how many shots he had heard.
When Clayton asked Bienemy was he 99 percent sure that Claville was the killer, Bienemy responded, “I am 100 percent sure he is the killer.”
Defense attorneys pointed to inconsistent statements given by the star witness.
According to Bienemy, he happened to run across Claville’s picture on a desk at the police station and identified him as the killer.
During cross-examinations, Price played a taped statement of Bienemy stating that he picked Claville out of a photo line-up.
Bienemy told Price that he identified Claville on more than one occasion.
The trial will continue throughout the week in State District Bonnie Jackson’s Court.