LEXINGTON, S.C. — The trial of a former Cayce orthopedic doctor accused of killing a man at his home began in a Lexington County Courtroom Wednesday.
Adam Lazzarini is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the October 9, 2017, death of 30-year-old medical salesman William Holland. According to police, the two men were at Lazzarini's home in Cayce when Lazzarini shot Holland in the chest. Holland died at the scene.
Prosecutors Shawn Graham and Luke Pincelli of the 11th Circuit Solicitor’s Office are prosecuting the case. Attorney Jack Swerling and Greg Harris are defending Lazzarini.
In the prosecution's opening statement, Pincelli focused on Lazzarini's varying accounts of the incident. He said the case "boils down to a criminally negligent handling of a firearm by Lazzarini."
The defenses opening statement gave new insight on what happened on that day in 2017.
According to Swerling, Lazzarini and Holland met that morning to fly to Columbus, Georgia to see a new medical operation. When the operation didn't happen, the two flew back to Columbia and went to a Columbia Restaurant where they had several drinks.
Swerling said Holland wanted to see Lazzarini's gun collection, so the two went to Lazzarnini's home.
He added Lazzarini let Holland hold an unloaded .45 caliber pistol. Lazzarini unloaded a .9mm pistol to show to Holland. Holland handed the .9mm gun back and Lazzarini reloaded it and set the gun down on the bed. Swerling said Lazzarini left the room and when he came back, Holland handed over a gun butt first. Swerling said it was during this exchange, Holland was shot.
Swerling argued Lazzarini didn't know the gun was loaded and thought he was being handed the unloaded .45 caliber pistol.
In his opening statement Pincelli said "just because something tragic occurred, does not make it an accident."
Expected witnesses include blood splatter experts and a babysitter for the Lazzarinis.
Evidence like video testimony from Lazzarini's daughter and a 911 call by Lazzarini's late wife will also be used.
Jury selection took place Monday, with testimony expected later in the day Tuesday.
Lazzarini was not charged at the time of the shooting, but when Cayce Department of Public Safety officers returned to the home in May 2018 to investigate the death of Lazzarini's wife, Vanessa Biery, investigators found evidence that Lazzarini had withheld information during the investigation into Holland's shooting. Officers arrested Lazzarini then on the involuntary manslaughter charge. The warrant stated Lazzarini did not give investigators information about a witness to the shooting -- which officers felt obstructed justice -- and claimed the doctor had been drinking before Holland's death.
Lazzarini resigned from Lexington Medical Center, where he worked, after he was charged.
Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher ruled Vanessa Biery's cause of death to be "undetermined," and no charges have been filed against Lazzarini in that case.