Accused Double-Killer Calmer This Time ‘Jojo’ Andrews Back In Same Courtroom Where Mistrial Occurred In February

Joseph “JoJo” Andrews returned to the same Spokane courtroom where he endured a three-week murder trial in February that ended in a mistrial.

But this time the accused double-killer was much calmer.

Instead of a possible death penalty, Andrews, 26, now faces a maximum sentence of life without parole if convicted of the 1994 execution-style killings.

The crack cocaine dealer is charged with two counts of first-degree aggravated murder.

During initial testimony in the second trial Wednesday, prosecutors changed strategy in hopes of strengthening their case.

With little buildup, they went straight to their key witness, Andrews’ former girlfriend, Tari Green.

Green again dispassionately described how she and Andrews met the Spokane victims - Eloise Patrick and Larry Eaves, both 37 - the night of Feb. 18, 1994, outside a downtown Chinese restaurant.

Taking a ride in Patrick’s car, the four drove to a street near a downtown Safeway store.

Green said Andrews suddenly told her, “I’m going to kill ‘em.” Then he pulled a black 9mm pistol from his jacket and fired six bullets into the heads of Eaves and Patrick, the witness said.

Deputy Prosecutor Pat Thompson made sure jurors heard details that didn’t come out in the first murder trial.

The 27-year-old Green said the moment she saw the gun come out, “I closed my eyes, and went down into a ball.”

Thompson asked her to describe what she meant, and Green assumed a fetal-like position on the witness stand.

Green said she had no idea the pair was about to be killed. She had never met Patrick before. Eaves supposedly owed Andrews about $1,000 for crack received earlier that month, she said.

In her opening statement, Thompson said Andrews killed Eaves because he was angry and wanted to make a statement to others owing him drug money. Andrews killed Patrick to eliminate a witness, the prosecutor said. Like the first trial, however, prosecutors acknowledge having no direct physical evidence linking Andrews to the killings.

Defense attorney Phillip “Dutch” Wetzel told jurors they should treat Green’s testimony with severe skepticism.

Insisting Andrews didn’t pull the trigger, Wetzel suggested Green was testifying against Andrews to save herself from prosecution.

“Tari Green literally has blood on her hands,” Wetzel said. “She pointed the finger” at Andrews only after police showed her a search warrant “with her name on it.”

Prosecutors tried to diminish the impact of the defense’s anticipated cross-examination by bringing out Green’s history of drug use and dishonesty.

Thompson also worked hard to keep jurors focused on the alleged murder weapon.

Green said she took the gun from Andrews after the shootings, but 45 minutes later he pointed it at her head in a motel room, threatening to kill her if she went to police.

What did Andrews say, Thompson asked the witness.

“He pushed me backwards on the bed and said, ‘I should have killed you when I had the chance.”’

Green’s testimony continues today. The trial in Spokane County Superior Court is expected to end next week.

, DataTimes