LEXINGTON, S.C. — Day three of Adam Lazzarini's trial picked up where it left off-- with forensic pathologist Dr. Janice Ross taking the stand.
In a Lexington County Court room Ross told the jurors Thursday she ruled William Holland's death a homicide 8 months after her first report. Ross' first report said the cause of death was undecided, pending investigation.
Holland was shot to death at Lazzarini's home in October of 2017.
Lazzarini's defense maintains the death was accidental.
Attorney Greg Harris, Lazzarini's attorney, wasted no time Friday grilling Ross on how she came to determine the death as a homicide.
According to Ross' testimony, she did not review FBI or SLED reports, talk to gun experts, or speak to Lazzarini and his wife.
Ross said she based her conclusion on her medical examination and conversations with an investigator and Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher. She also based it off of the video testimony from Lazzarini's daughter who they say was in the room when the shooting happened.
Prosecutors played the video for jurors.
In the video Lazzarini's daughter, who was five at the time, told investigators her dad and his friend were looking at guns. She said her dad was holding a loaded gun when he "accidentally pulled the trigger" causing Holland to "accidentally die."
Lazzarini initially told investigators his daughter wasn't in the room when the shooting occurred. His changing stories were another factor in Dr. Ross' conclusion.
After Ross' testimony prosecutors called Trevor Hall from City of Cayce Public Safety to testify. Hall was one of the first investigators on the scene.
Hall said Lazzarini told him he "handed the gun to the victim, turned around to get another out of the safe, and heard a loud pop."
Last to take the stand Friday was Charles Mills, an employee at FN America the manufacturer of the gun used in the shooting
Prosecutors asked Mills about the guns safety measures and had him demonstrate them to the jury.
Defense pressed Mills on how often accidental firings occur and whether there have been reports of the gun delaying fire.
Mills said it's unlikely the gun would have accidentally gone off as someone would have had to manually manipulate the safety measures for it to go off.
Defense said there was a "service notice from the manufacturer" that said there was a delayed trigger.
Mills argued there were zero notices of accidental discharge and whenever the company investigated claims, they found the gun "functioned the way its supposed to function."
Upcoming witnesses include several SLED analysts. Testimony will continue Monday.