Jury selection continues for Fred Shields, suspect in Neal Sweeney murder-for-hire case
Fred Shields
Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Posted: 09/18/2012
TULSA - Jury selection continues Tuesday in a Tulsa murder-for-hire case.
Fred Shields is the second man to stand trial for the killing of Tulsa businessman Neal Sweeney.
Shields is one of five charged in the case and prosecutors believe he played a major role in planning the murder in September 2008.
Prosecutors say gas station owner Mohammed Aziz hired hitman Terrico Bethel to kill Sweeney.
Aziz, who made a deal with prosecutors in exchange for his testimony against his co-conspirators, admitted hiring the men to kill Sweeney because Sweeney cut off fuel to his gas stations. He is awaiting sentencing.
Bethel was sentenced to life in prison during his trial in August.
Alonzo Johnson and Allen Shields were also charged in the murder, though Allen Shields committed suicide last year during a standoff with police.
Johnson is awaiting trial.
Opening statements could come as early as Tuesday.
Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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