A still shot from the YouTube video "Kay Montana x Jewla - Nothin Left [Official Video]."
ANSONIA/DERBY — A music video posted to YouTube could play a role in the trial of an Ansonia man accused of killing a man on Anson Street in Derby.
Jacob Freeman, 28, is accused of murdering 21-year-old Jajuan Benavides with a gun on Anson Street in Derby at about 2 a.m. Aug. 11, 2017, a few hours after an argument between the two.
Freeman pleaded not guilty and a jury trial started Monday (June 17) in Superior Court in Milford with Judge Eliot D. Prescott presiding. Five witnesses were called by the prosecution to testify on the first day. Click here for the day one story.
The arrest warrant Derby police used to charge Freeman notes that about one month after Benavides was shot three times on Anson Street, Freeman, who goes by the nickname “Jewla,” was in a music video on YouTube titled “Kay Montana x Jewla — Nothin Left [Official Video].” Click here to watch it.
Police believe the song includes lyrics that are coded references to Benavides’ murder.
“The video lyrics sung by Jacob Freeman describes a murder on ‘A’ and ‘Fifth.’ Jajuan Benavides was murdered on the Anson St. and Fifth St. It should be noted Anson Street is known on the street as “A block,” the warrant states.
The warrant also states that a confidential witness told police that Benavides assaulted the man in the video seen performing with Freeman.
Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Marc Durso asked most of the questions from the prosecution on Monday.
Durso asked two eyewitnesses, both of whom were friends with Benavides on Anson Street when he got shot, whether the street was known as “The A.”
One of the witnesses, a 26-year-old female from Shelton, confirmed the nickname. She said Anson Street in August 2017 was where young people would hang out for hours, smoking, drinking and being with friends.
Both female witnesses said they previously omitted information to police investigating the murder, or changed their stories.
They did so because they didn’t want to get involved and they feared they would be targeted.
One of the witnesses, a 27-year-old female nurse from Milford, mentioned the YouTube video specifically.
“The defendant made a song about what happened,” the 27-year-old said from the witness stand.
The song made her angry, and helped to motivate her to come clean in court, she said.
However, defense lawyer Walter Hussey objected to the woman’s comment, and it was stricken from the record.
As of Monday, the prosecution had yet to introduce the music video as evidence.
The Connecticut Post previously reported that the judge will allow the jury to see parts of the video. The same article indicated the defense will ask questions that raise the possibility the song lyrics were written prior to the Anson Street murder.
Durso asked twice about the meaning of the phrase “op block.” The witnesses said that the phrase “op” means “enemy” or opposition.
