Jury selection begins in '07 stabbing death

TUSCUMBIA - Authorities said the murder trials of three men accused of stabbing a Sheffield teenager to death in 2007 will begin today.

Colbert County District Attorney Bryce Graham Jr. said jury selection will begin at 9 a.m. in the Colbert County Courthouse.

On trial for murder are 36-year-old Derrell Wade Roland Sr., his 17-year-old son, Derrell Wade Roland Jr., and the elder Roland's twin brother, Terrell Ray Roland. All three defendants are from Sheffield.

They are accused in the Aug. 5, 2007, stabbing death of Tyrone Grant, 18, Sheffield. Police said Grant was killed at Sheffield's Riverfront Park.

"I expect the jury selection to take all day," Graham said. "If that is the case, we will not get started with testimony until Wednesday."

Graham said the trial could be a lengthy one since there are three defendants and three defense attorneys involved. He said there will likely be numerous witnesses and evidence presented during the trial.

As a result, Graham said a verdict in the case might not be decided until next week.

All three defendants, including Derrell Roland Jr., who is being tried as an adult, face the possibility of life in prison should they be convicted.

The suspects were arrested Aug. 7, 2007, after surrendering to authorities.

They have all been held in jail since that time with bail set at $100,000.

Grand jurors in Colbert County indicted all three men in November.

Sheffield police said the stabbing took place in the parking lot of the park around 9 p.m. Aug. 5, 2007, which was a Sunday.

The suspects fled the scene after the incident, police say.

Authorities said Grant died shortly after 10 p.m. while being treated in the emergency room at Helen Keller Hospital in Sheffield.

Police say motive in the case was retaliation from a previous incident involving Grant and the younger Roland.

During a preliminary hearing in 2007, police testified that witnesses reported that the men arrived at the parking lot armed with a knife, chain and baseball bat.

Witnesses told investigators that Grant was stabbed once in the parking lot and he began running away toward the park's playground. They said Grant fell and was stabbed at least twice more as the suspects chased him down.

A friend of Grant's was hit by a chain at the parking lot but was not severely injured, police said. He did not seek medical attention.

Grant was a former Sheffield High School student.

Terrell Roland is being defended by Muscle Shoals attorney Tim Case, Muscle Shoals attorney Bill Marthaler is defending Derrell Roland Sr., and Tuscumbia attorney B.T. Gardner is representing Derrell Roland Jr.

Tom Smith can be reached at 740-5757 or tom.smith@TimesDaily.com.