Jury deliberations begin in trial of man charged with raping and killing his cousin

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A jury is now deliberating in the trial of a man charged with raping and killing his cousin Brittini Ward in 2010. The jury heard testimony Wednesday. 

Derek Ward was charged with killing his cousin in 2010. The trial had been delayed for years because Derek Ward was deemed unfit to stand trial. After 14 years, a judge allowed the trial to begin, with Ward representing himself. 

The trial started on Wednesday, July 21. The state laid out tragic details of the case, saying Derek Ward convinced Brittini’s family that she was “possessed.” 

Derek Ward defended himself with statements saying the DNA found on Brittini was not his, and claimed the injuries she sustained were not from rape. The state called multiple witnesses to the stand, including Brittini’s brother, Blake, who testified that when he arrived at the house, Brittini Ward was unresponsive. 

RELATED: Cousin accused of 2010 death appears in court

Carli Ward, Brittini’s sister, was also called in to testify. In a tearful testimony, she said she recalled Derek Ward choking her sister three times before she was found dead in the apartment she shared with her mother, Dawn Ward, and her cousin, Derek Ward.

“He put his hands around her throat and started to squeeze and did it three times,” she recalled. “And while he was choking her, he was saying he wanted the demons to leave his cousin.”

There was a shift with Tuesday’s testimony. Derek Ward had been defending himself throughout the entire trial. That all changed ahead of closing arguments. His public defender, Michael Kabakoff, took over to represent Derek Ward during the closing arguments phase of the trial.

Kabakoff questioned the state’s evidence and statements made by Brittani Ward’s mother, Dawn. Kabakoff will be helping Derek Ward for the remainder of the case, after Derek Ward asked the judge for the public defender’s assistance on Monday. 

RELATED: Jury hears testimony in Derek Ward murder trial

Derek Ward has pleaded not guilty to both rape and murder. The jury exited the room at 10:15 on Wednesday to deliberate.

RELATED: Here’s why Derek Ward is wearing an orange jumpsuit in his murder trial | VERIFY

For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts that impact you from WCNC Charlotte, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app and enable push notifications.