‘He was trying to kill me’: Teen capital murder suspect testifies in 16-year-old’s killing

A teenager on trial for capital murder took the stand this week, testifying that he was acting in self-defense when he fatally shot another teen during a confrontation in Birmingham two years ago.

Christian Cole, now 19, faces charges of capital murder during a robbery, capital murder in a vehicle, and robbery in the death of 16-year-old Jaylin Jenkins. The incident took place on April 9, 2024, just before 8:30 p.m. Jenkins was tragically pronounced dead at the scene with his parents by his side.

A Defense of Survival

During more than two hours of testimony on Thursday, Cole—who was 17 at the time of the shooting—maintained that he feared for his life. "I believed he was trying to kill me," Cole told the jury. "I was trying to go home."

The trial, overseen by Jefferson County Circuit Judge Shanta Owens, features prosecutors Deputy District Attorneys Tiffany Ould and DeMario Thornton against defense attorney Darryl Bender. Because Cole was a minor at the time of the offense, he is not eligible for the death penalty. If convicted, he faces a sentence of life or life without parole; a life sentence would require him to serve 30 years day-for-day before becoming parole eligible.

Conflicting Accounts

Prosecutors argue the killing was a cold-blooded act stemming from the robbery of a BB gun. Following the state's rest, Bender moved for an acquittal, arguing that it was Cole’s younger cousin who initiated the contact with the weapon, not Cole. Judge Owens denied the motion.

Testimony painted a picture of a neighborhood interaction gone wrong. Jenkins had reportedly driven to an Inglenook store to pick up a soda, where he encountered Cole and his cousin. Cole alleged that Jenkins, who he claimed was wearing a ski mask, performed a "donut" in the parking lot and nearly struck them with his Acura. Although there was no evidence confirming the use of a mask, Cole claimed Jenkins followed them and threatened his life.

Cole testified that when Jenkins attempted to run over his foot, he fired three shots in response. Conversely, prosecutors presented evidence of five bullet holes in the vehicle and challenged Cole’s narrative during cross-examination. Prosecutor Ould questioned why surveillance footage showed Cole walking away without a visible limp immediately after the alleged injury, later noting that Cole arrived at UAB Hospital the following day in a wheelchair.

The trial is expected to conclude with jury deliberations as early as Thursday afternoon, marking the end of a somber case that saw a grieving family endure the loss of their son during these proceedings.