‘I automatically knew it was him’: Shooting victim in 2018 Albany assassination plot takes witness stand

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Published: May. 27, 2022 at 6:42 PM EDT

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - The trial for men charged in an assassination plot at an Albany convenience store continued on Friday. The shooting left one woman paralyzed. Four men were charged in connection to the case. However, only two are on trial.

Multiple people took the wintess stand on Friday. Two of them were men who were charged in connection the crime, but have since made a plea deal. Meaning they’ve pled guilty to certain charges in hopes for less time in prison.

The first man to take the stand was Dontavious Hudson. He is Ernest Hudson’s son and is also related to Andrea Willis, the woman who was left paralyzed.

In his testimony, he gave his recollection of what happened leading up to Willis being shot.

Dontavious Hudson put in his plea of guilty. If accepted, he'll get a 10 year sentence. If it isn't accepted, the max sentence is 30 years in prison.(WALB)
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He said he, Jarrod Brown, and Darrell Eiland were driving around town looking for a person who allegedly robbed his dad, Ernest Hudson. Something he said he learned from Willis, his cousin.

A defense attorney asked him, “you told Jerrod, I think, Andrea had my dad robbed. He said what you want me to do about it?

“That’s right,” he replied.

Jarrod Brown also took the stand and his testimony contradicted Dontavious Hudson’s.

He said Dontavious Hudson kept alluding to the idea that Willis was the reason his dad was robbed.

Jarrod Brown did identify a photo from surveillance footage of a man walking into the corner store where Willis was shot, saying it was Darrell Eiland.

Willis also identified Darrell Eiland as the man who shot her.

Back in 2018, Willis was shot around 6 a.m.

Before that, she testified she was at a club where she got into an altercation with her cousin, Ernest Hudson.

She claimed he hit her and they were thrown out of the club. He later texted her he had been robbed.

She claims even though the altercation happened, she wanted to help her cousin identify who he said had robbed him. She said that led to her driving around all night before stopping in Brother’s Convenience Store.

Seconds after walking into the store, she was shot.

Jarrod Brown put in his guilty plea. If accepted, he'll get 15 years probation. If it isn't accepted, the max sentence is 90 years.(WALB)

“I looked up at him before he shot me but it happened so fast. Once I saw his face again once I regained my consciousness. I automatically knew it was him,” Willis said, identifying Eiland.

Willis had to give testimony virtually because, after the shooting, she lost the ability to use her hands and legs.

The court is expecting to give closing arguments on Tuesday and then the case will be in the jury’s hands.

Dontavious Hudson put in his plea of guilty. If accepted, he’ll get a 10 year sentence. If the judge denies the deal, the maximum sentence is 30 years in prison.

Jarrod Brown put in his plea of guilty. If accepted, he’ll get 15 years probation. If the judge denies the deal, the maximum sentence is 90 years.

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