Man accused of using hammer in murder claims self-defense

A 31-12 months-old gentleman accused of murdering a gentleman he just satisfied in a club claims he was defending himself when he a defeat the guy to demise with a hammer within his Englewood apartment, Cook dinner County prosecutors reported in courtroom Tuesday.

Police ended up called for a wellbeing examine early Sunday when a resident of an condominium making in the 7100 block of South Lowe Avenue discovered a blood trail in a hallway that led to the rear of the creating, prosecutors explained.

Officers then located 42-12 months-previous David Castile protected in blood future to a dumpster in an alley at the rear of the making. Castile died soon after currently being taken to a clinic.

Quickly following, officers observed Gregory Stamps in a stairwell at the setting up with blood on his palms and apparel, prosecutors claimed.

Gregory Stamps

Stamps can be heard telling police he experienced fallen down the stairs and into a pool of blood, prosecutors stated, citing proof from the officers’ body-worn cameras. But when officers reported they ended up heading to location him in a squad motor vehicle while they investigated, Stamps allegedly mentioned, “I’m going to be genuine, he was just trying to rape me.”

Stamps later admitted hitting Castile in the head a number of occasions with a hammer, prosecutors said. Castile’s wallet was allegedly observed in Stamps’ entrance pocket, and when police searched Stamps’ 3rd-floor device in the developing, they uncovered a blood-soaked mattress in a bedroom, blood on the partitions and a hammer, prosecutors said.

The Prepare dinner County health care examiner’s officer afterwards established Castile had experienced “20-30 cranium defects” and had defensive wounds to his arms and hands that indicated a weapon, these as a hammer, had been used, prosecutors claimed. Stamps allegedly did not have any injuries.

In custody, Stamps told detectives that Castile gave him a ride residence from a club and then experimented with to rape him, prosecutors claimed. Following beating Castile, Stamps allegedly reported he dragged Castile down a few flights of stairs and out to the alley.

Stamps didn’t reveal why Castile’s wallet was in his trousers or why he didn’t get hold of police, prosecutors said.

Stamps experienced been unveiled on his individual recognizance previously this calendar year while dealing with a misdemeanor battery demand in a different case, prosecutors reported. He was also on parole immediately after pleading responsible in 2013 of tried murder and aggravated domestic battery, in which Stamps also claimed self-defense, prosecutors reported. Information of that circumstance weren’t readily available Tuesday.

An assistant public defender stated Stamps acquired funds selling hair and makeup materials on line and argued he should really be specified a bond mainly because he had specified a “lawful justification” for the killing.

Judge Kelly McCarthy denied Stamps bail and established his next listening to for May possibly 16.