BOSTON, Aug. 5, 2016—The Massachusetts Appeals Court today affirmed the murder conviction of a man found guilty in the 2009 shooting death of 32-year-old Carl Bonnie, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

In an unpublished decision released today, the Appellate Court denied a new trial for TREVOR “SPECIALIST” HIGGINS (D.O.B. 10/22/74), who was convicted of second-degree murder and unlawful possession of a shotgun in connection with the shooting that claimed Bonnie’s life during a drug deal.  A second man involved in the shooting, GREGORY “BUDDHA” KNIGHT (D.O.B. 5/16/82), pleaded guilty to his role in the homicide prior to the trial.

Among other claims, Higgins argued on appeal that Knight’s sister and step-mother should not have been permitted to identify Higgins during their testimony at Higgins’ trial.  The Appeals Court, however, ruled that the identifications were made in accordance with the procedures in place at the time of the trial.

He also argued testimony by the two witnesses recalling conversations with Knight should not have been allowed by the trial judge.  The court found that the judge properly admitted the majority of the statements; the one statement that was erroneously admitted, however, did not present the likelihood of a miscarriage of justice in light of the full evidence presented against Higgins, which the court called “overwhelming.”

The court also found no error in the testimony of two additional civilian witnesses identifying Higgins and Knight in surveillance images, and that Higgins was not prejudiced by statements made in a prosecutor’s closing arguments.

Higgins was convicted at the conclusion of his November 2013 trial, in which prosecutors presented evidence and testimony to prove that Knight and Bonnie had sent text messages arranging to meet for a drug transaction at an apartment at 69 Clifford St. in Roxbury on Nov. 12, 2009.  Higgins, the evidence proved, was also present in the apartment in the moments leading up to the shooting and was armed with a shotgun.

Bonnie was fatally shot shortly after arriving at the location.  Higgins and Knight ran from the apartment and fled to Lewiston, Maine, in the days that followed.

Trial testimony ran about eight days. Jurors deliberated for about two days before convicting the defendant. After the verdict, which Higgins took stoically, he moved to shake the hand of the prosecutor who tried his case. As a cadre of court officers looked on, he did so quietly and briskly before being led to the lockup.

Assistant District Attorney David Fredette prosecuted the case at trial.  Cailin Campbell argued the case on appeal.  Katherine Moran is the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocate.  Higgins was represented by Sharon Dehmand.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.