NEW ALBANY, Ind. (WAVE) — Dash cam footage capturing the sound of gunshots and people running from the scene is among the evidence being shown as the murder trial of 19-year-old Isaiah Page gets underway.
Page is accused of shooting and killing 18-year-old Bryce Gerlach near the ride section of the Harvest Homecoming festival in 2024. Two other bystanders were also injured in the shooting.
After more than a year of plea deals and sentencing for others connected to the case, Page is now the final suspect to face trial. A jury was selected and sworn in Wednesday.
Day 1 of trial
Prosecutors told jurors their evidence will show an ongoing conflict between three groups and that witness testimony and forensic findings will identify Page as the shooter. They claim the evidence will place Page in the upper fountain area, where the fatal shots were fired.
The defense pushed back, arguing there is no conclusive forensic or firearm evidence linking Page to the shooting. Defense attorneys emphasized there is no photo or video showing Page firing a gun and said the chaos that night makes it unclear who actually killed Gerlach.
The defense also told jurors about a fight at the YMCA the day before the shooting, claiming another individual went to Harvest Homecoming intending to rob someone. Attorneys argued that investigators relied on “cherry-picked” evidence and that key information is missing.
The court briefly recessed to allow attorneys to discuss case law before testimony continued.
Evidence and testimony
Lead Detective Phil Kaiser was the prosecution’s first witness. He testified that police conducted multiple interviews with witnesses and persons of interest and reviewed evidence from several locations.
Jurors were shown photos from Black Avenue, where two additional victims were shot. Kaiser also testified about dash cam footage from a driver that captured the sound of gunshots, as well as video from the YMCA, as investigators worked to reconstruct the timeline of events.
The jury
The jury consists of 15 people — three women and 12 men — selected from a pool of about 200 potential jurors over three days. Nearly all jurors are white.
Two potential jurors were dismissed Wednesday, including one who raised concerns about racial prejudice in the judicial system.
Because the courtroom was full, media observed the proceedings from an auxiliary courtroom via video feed. During some jury selection discussions, microphones were muted, making it unclear why certain jurors were removed.
Prosecution vs. defense
Floyd County Prosecutor Chris Lane told jurors the evidence will prove Page committed murder, even if Gerlach was not the intended target. Lane also said the state will present evidence of gang affiliation through social media, notes, and testimony from people who were with Page that night.
Four other defendants previously accepted plea deals that require them to testify in trials related to the shooting.
Defense attorney Coy Travis told jurors the case is defined by gaps in evidence, saying, “Silence speaks volumes.” The defense plans to argue that witnesses reported hearing gunshots from multiple locations and that the state cannot prove Page was the shooter beyond a reasonable doubt.
What’s next
The trial resumes Thursday, with prosecutors expected to call two to three witnesses, including the first officer who responded to the scene and body camera footage from that night.
The trial is expected to last up to two weeks.
Leave a Comment