Testimony begins in trial for Inkster shooting that killed 2-year-old, injured 2 others

Raymone Jackson, Raphael Hearn charged in KaMiya Gross' death

DETROIT – Erica Gross told a courtroom on Thursday about rushing to the hospital last July when her 2-year-old daughter was shot on the front porch of a home in Inkster.

"I was led into a room with a doctor, and he told me, unfortunately, that my daughter did not make it," Gross said.

Her daughter, KaMiya, had been playing outside a home on Carlyle Street with her father and other friends on July 1 when it's alleged that Raymone Jackson walked up and opened fire.

KaMiya was shot in the head. Her father, Kenneth French, and a 12-year-old family friend, Chelsea Lancaster, were also shot. They both recovered.


-- Chelsea Lancaster


-- Kenneth French

Jackson and co-defendant Raphael Hearn were both in court Thursday to hear the prosecution lay out their case against them. They are facing murder, assault and weapons charges.

Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Jamie Powell said months prior to the shooting, Hearn was shot at an Inkster club and blamed French. French was working security at the club.

The prosecution showed months of text messages between Hearn and Jackson that they say show Hearn urged Jackson to shoot French.

Hearn sent Jackson a song called "Homicide," which, prosecutors said, is about a revenge killing where family members are targeted. The jury will get to read the lyrics.

"Money [Jackson] walks up to Kenneth French, Ken French. Everybody sees him get up to greet him, ‘Hey, haven't seen you in a while,' or something to that effect, and Jackson opens fire. He shoots KaMiya in the head," Powell said.

French is expected to testify during the trial.

The prosecution also alleged that Jackson and Hearn were able to pass notes while they were in jail so they could coordinate their stories. The Wayne County Sheriff's Office said that would be illegal and is investigating.


About the Author:

Local 4 Defender Shawn Ley is an Emmy award-winning journalist who has been with Local 4 News for more than a decade.