The city’s medical examiner later confirmed that both victims succumbed to “acute intoxication” caused by a lethal combination of fentanyl, cocaine, ethanol, and various other substances. During their closing arguments, defense lawyers acknowledged that their clients might have engaged in criminal activities, but they vehemently denied any involvement in the deaths, asserting that the prosecution had failed to establish their connection to the drug supply.
However, Assistant District Attorney Meghan Hast swiftly dismissed this defense as she meticulously laid out the overwhelming evidence that she contended proved the culpability of the trio. Robert DeMaio was observed in the courtroom, while Steven Hirsch captured Jayqwan Hamilton’s appearance in court.
“Did these individuals simply stumble upon individuals who consumed fentanyl on five separate occasions?” she challenged the jury. “The notion that these events were purely accidental and that they merely profited from them — thus implicating them in minor theft — represents the epitome of an absurd hypothesis.”
