By Thomas J. Sheeran
Associated Press
AKRON, Ohio — The teenage suspect in the slayings of three men lured by phony Craigslist job offers has testified at his Ohio murder trial that he went along only because he feared the triggerman would kill him, too.
Soft-spoken 17-year-old Brogan Rafferty testified Tuesday in Akron. He slowly detailed the killings and said repeatedly he feared his co-defendant might kill him and family members if he objected.
Rafferty’s co-defendant, self-styled street chaplain Richard Beasley, will be tried separately. He has pleaded not guilty.
Rafferty says he was stunned by the first killing as the victim interviewed for a farm job in southeast Ohio.
Asked by his attorney why he accompanied Beasley on subsequent killing outings, Rafferty replied it was “that or die.”