2 teens accused of fatally shooting of 16-year-old in Jackson County headed to trial

JACKSON, MI – Two teenagers are headed to a jury trial for murder after four hours of testimony on Friday.

Aivery Banks, 17, of Kalamazoo, and Anthony Jones III, 17, of Battle Creek, are facing one felony count each of open murder and felony firearms in the Aug. 25, shooting death of Lataveon Cosey, 16, of Blackman Township.

Co-defendants Banks and Jones had a semi-virtual preliminary examination Jan. 29, before Jackson County District Judge Allison Bates. After five witnesses testified, Bates said there was enough evidence for probable cause and bound the case over to Jackson County Circuit Court.

2nd teen charged in fatal shooting of 16-year-old in Jackson County

Cosey was shot around 8:20 a.m., Aug. 25, near the intersection of Hallett Street and Longfellow Avenue in Blackman Township. He was taken to Henry Ford Allegiance Health where he died from his injuries, police have said.

Jones targeted Cosey for the shooting, a 16-year-old witness testified. He was in an SUV with Banks, Jones and a second witness at the time of the shooting, the witness said. The Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office granted immunity for his truthful testimony.

When police first talked to this witness, he told them he wasn’t there when the shooting happened, he testified. However, his mother knew he was lying and get him to cooperate with police, he said.

“I was just trying to deny that I was there,” the witness said, adding he stayed in the trunk of the SUV with his head down during the shooting. “It didn’t have nothing to do with me. I thought it was the right thing to do to, to tell the truth.”

A second witness, a 17-year-old male, also was granted immunity by the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office. He testified he ducked down when the shooting started and when he looked up, Cosey was on the ground. This witness originally told police something different, according to his testimony, but accepted the immunity agreement after his attorney said it was possible he would be charged for murder.

Banks fired two shots and Jones fired one, the 17 year old testified.

Cosey died of blood loss caused by a bullet that hit his iliac artery in his pelvic area, Oakland County Deputy Medical Examiner Dr. Bernardino Pacris testified. The manner of death was homicide, he testified.

The Michigan State Police Crime Lab analyzed the bullet found in Cosey’s body, and it matched a gun police recovered, MSP Firearm and Tool Mark Examiner Michael Lee testified. The gun that matched the bullet was found on Banks when he was arrested, according to testimony.

Cosey was a big brother to three siblings and a protector of his mother, his obituary said.

The teenagers are lodged at the Jackson County Jail. They will appear before Jackson County Circuit Judge Thomas Wilson but no court dates are yet scheduled.

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