North Carolina murder suspect taunts victim's family
WILMINGTON, N.C. -- A man facing life in prison on first-degree murder charges for the shooting death of another man showed no remorse for the victim's family, taunting them while in a Hanover County courtroom Tuesday morning.
According to CBS affiliate WGCL, Antonio Beatty, 21, who is accused of killing Carlton Whitley, stared, smiled, and even stuck his tongue out at the victim's family during his first court appearance.
Whitley's fiancee, daughter, and sister were all present -- and they were livid at Beatty's actions, reports the station.
"I feel like justice needs to be served. He don't care obviously. He showed that his self in court that he don't care, that he don't have no remorse for what he did, and he needs to be charged," Whitley's fiancee, Octavia Bryant said holding back tears. "He needs to go down for this. This is not right. He took my daughter's father from her. She don't deserve that and then you're going to stick your tongue out at a five-month-old? She is a baby!"
In a jailhouse interview, Beatty reportedly said he was being taunted and that's the reason he responded the way he did, according to the station. He admitted that he was disappointed in himself for his actions, but insinuated that the family was "lucky" that that was all he did, reports the station.
Beatty says he will plead not guilty in the first-degree murder charge of 25-year-old Whitley, according to the station, and he is currently be held without bond.
For their part, the station reports that Whitley's family said they will be at every court appearance and will do whatever it takes to get the toughest penalty.