TUNICA, Miss. — Family and friends of Donterrius Jackson remembered the good times.
“He was humble, sweet-spirited. He got along with everybody,” Linda Jackson, Donterrius’ mother, said.
On Tuesday, family members filled the courtroom at Tunica Circuit Court for the first day of Cortez Bass’ murder trial.
According to law enforcement, Cortez shot and killed Jackson in front of his home.
“It speaks for itself. He was cyberbullied to death,” Jackson told WREG.
Jackson reported claims for months that Bass was allegedly posting death threats to her son online.
However, she claimed law enforcement never followed through.
“So after being bullied and him saying what he was going to do and making all the threats, he made good on them,” Jackson explained.
The victim’s mother said she was told the alleged threats will not be shown in court because it was never proven Bass was the person behind the posts.
The lead investigator in the case took the bench Tuesday morning to comb through every detail about what officers found the day that the 17-year-old boy was shot and killed.
After Jurors returned from lunch, the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office presented it’s findings.
The medical examiner’s presentation included pictures so tough some family members left the courtroom where Jackson waited to take the stand.
“It’s hard as a mother, but I’m going to stay strong because I’m my son’s voice. Because I have to speak for him. He didn’t deserve what happened to him,” Jackson said.
Defense attorneys refused WREG’s request for comment until a verdict is rendered.
The judge is planning for the trial to end by Thursday.
