One of three men accused of being involved in the shooting of a village resident in his groin was used as "bait" by his alleged accomplices, a jury heard.
Khaream Chatterie was allegedly forced at gunpoint to go with his co-accused to Huthwaite where Jamaine McKenzie was shot through his letter box in Cross Lane.
Chatterie, 26, of Colwick Road, Sneinton; Daniel Butler, 30, of Highland Court, Basford, and his brother, Tristan Caunt, 32, of Lobelia Close, St Ann's, are on trial at Nottingham Crown Court, and deny possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.
Prosecutors say the trio used a shotgun to carry out the crime before leaving in Butler's Ford Focus in the early hours of Saturday, February 8 this year.
But defence barristers have disputed the claims, putting forward their arguments in defence of the trio, who it has been alleged were in it together.
Alwyn Jones, defending Chatterie, told the jury on Friday, September 5, his client's co-accused had their own pre-planned agenda that night and sort to use him as their bait.
He claimed Mr McKenzie may have answered his door to Chatterie, somebody who was known to him.
"Bait. That was the role he was performing that night," said Mr Jones.
"They [the co-accused] thought he [Mr Chatterie] was the perfect bait, not only because he had an association with Mr McKenzie."
Mr Jones also claimed the co-defendants knew Chatterie was a much weaker character and they could manipulate him.
However, at the scene Chatterie apparently refused to cooperate, and later told police he was scared for his life.
Butler said in a statement, at the start of his interview with police, that he had no involvement in the shooting or in any incident at the address.
He went on to say Mr McKenzie was someone he had known most of his life and they were friends.
In summing up the case, Judge Gregory Dickinson QC, said Mr McKenzie was on the other side of his door when he was peppered with shotgun pellets to his hip and thigh.
The prosecution case is that all three defendants were in it together, acting as a team.
"The prosecution rely on a pattern of telephone calls, text messages, cell site data and anpr [automatic number plate recognition]," the judge told the jury.
"The defence for their part, particularly for Butler and Caunt, argue that evidence is equally consistent with them playing no part in the shooting."
Proceeding
