On Thursday, the defense called forensic specialist Jonathan Arden, trying to determine the angle at which Muse was standing when he was shot. Arden said he had “no material disagreements” with Dr. Mark Flomenbaum, the state’s medical examiner who determined that Muse was shot from behind with the muzzle of the gun pressed against his jacket, but questioned whether a third bullet, which seemed to graze Muse’s hand and brow, had also been fired from behind.
— In an effort to justify the use of lethal force by Cardilli Jr., the defense opened the day Wednesday hearing testimony from the Cumberland County Sheriff’s office, which had listed Isahak Muse as 6’0” and 150 pounds. The state’s medical examiner said Muse was 5’9” and 139 pounds at his time of death.
Cardilli, who is 5’7”, said in interviews with police that he feared that Muse would physically overtake him and his father as they attempted to remove him from the house.
— On Tuesday, it was revealed that Cardilli Sr. told his son that he did not know that the pistol used to shoot Muse was real.
“I thought you were trying to scare him,” Cardilli Sr. had said to his son in custody immediately after the event, as recounted over video evidence played for the court.
“I wasn’t going to play around anymore,” Cardilli Jr. told his father.
Cardilli Jr. had reappeared with a gun and said he would shoot Muse if he did not leave, according to Chelsey Cardilli. The two exchanged punches.
“Shoot me, it will be on the news,” Muse said while Cardilli Jr. had pointed a gun at him, according to testimony from Chelsey Cardilli.