The accused conspirator who turned key witness in a murder-for-hire plot may never go to prison.In the preliminary hearing, Allen Shields who is charged with the 2008 murder, testified for hours against his brother, Fred Shields, his cousin, Alonzo Johnson, Mohammad Aziz and accused hitman Terrico Bethel.
In court, Shields agreed to strike a deal with prosecutors.
FOX23’s Abbie Alford reports Shields and other witness testimony.
Employees at Retail Fuels neighboring business testified they heard shots and screams the day Neal Sweeney was murdered inside his office on September 4th, 2008.
They also testified they saw a man in a black parka and take off in a white van.
However, it’s the man who took the stand before the employees who pointed the finger at others involved in the plot to murder Sweeney.
A University of Tulsa football player, Hall of Famer, friend, father and husband, Neal Sweeney’s family still proudly wears his number.
A family friend says she always wears her #22 t-shirt to work out.
The family heard painful testimony from the state’s key witness Allen Shields.
A man accused of being the go-to person in the contract killing of Sweeney.
He's also a man accused of several violent crimes including a pending case for trafficking cocaine.
He’s never served a day in prison.
As part of the plea deal Shields could still avoid prison time.
Prosecutors offered a ten-year suspended sentence in exchange for his testimony. Prosecutors for the the District Attorney's office says Shields requirement is that he tells the truth. They believe Shields will be corroborated by other evidence. In court, Shields says he agreed to the deal because he doesn’t want to go to prison. Shields also testified Fred Shields called him in jail and threatened him if he testified.
Allen Shields also told the court at first North Tulsa gas station owner and friend Mohammed Aziz wanted Sweeney known as the “gas man” beat up but then Aziz upped the ante and he wanted Sweeney killed.
Aziz allegedily didn't pay for fuel Sweeney's company delivered so Sweeney turned off his gas and filed a $270,000 lawsuit.
Allen Shields says he went to his brother and asked to get something done.
Shields testified Fred Shields told him he would check into it and then enlisted cousin, Alonzo Johnson to steal a white van as a getaway vehicle.
Shields says his brother also found former inmate Terrico Bethel to be the shooter.
Sweeney was shot to death at his office for the price of $10,000.
Shields says the day of the killing Aziz handed over $5,000 in a paper sack and then later paid $2,000. The remaining amount was paid in four installments.
Shields says he never got a penny for his part in the plot.
Shields has had more than 100 run ins with the law and is currently being held without bond.
He is also charged with trafficking cocaine and violently attacking his ex-girlfriend.
The DA's office says depending if Shields tells the truth those charges could be dropped or part of the ten-year-suspended sentence.
Prosecutors say while an inmate in the jail wore a wire, Terrico Bethel confessed to that inmate about the murder plan.
The judge is expected to hear that recording tomorrow. However, Bethel’s attorney, Zach Smith, believes it is privileged information because the inmate was the so-called minister in the pod.
The preliminary hearing continues on Wednesday in Judge Dana Kuehn’s courtroom.
