Michael Young testifies in trial, admits to shooting Markest Flowers

NOW: Michael Young testifies in trial, admits to shooting Markest Flowers
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South Bend, Ind. - The prosecution and defense have rested in the Michael Young murder trial.

Thursday, opening arguments will begin and the jury will receive the case.

Young is accused of murdering Markest Flowers last year downtown.

Wednesday in court, the possibility that Flowers racially profiled Young was brought up.  

On the stand, 70-year-old Young admitted multiple times to shooting Flowers. 

Young says he began questioning Flowers, claiming he matched the description of a man his friend said robbed her of $50.

No cash or weapons were found on Flowers’ body.

In Young’s police questioning and during his testimony, he claimed that he made sure he had two guns on him.

He said he then went to question Flowers about the alleged robbery, because he matched the description his friend gave.

Young claimed Flowers threatened to beat him in response, then walked away.

That’s when Young claims he continued to walk beside Flowers.

He said eventually Flowers turned around and Young shot him.

During police questioning video, Young called Flowers a “..mean looking guy,” and claimed “I know what a thug black guy looks like.”

Young said he might have acted differently if Flowers hadn’t been "mean."

Young claimed he was defending himself but also said the victim never physically attacked him in any way.

When asked why he did it during testimony, Young said “I don’t know why I did it. I felt like a person should be able to leave their house without being frightened.”

The defense also called two other witnesses Wednesday none of whom saw the gun go off.

There is no surveillance video of the shooting itself.

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