The jury trial for Joseph Craig, Junction City, has begun in Geary County District Court. He is charged in connection with the January 2016 shooting death of David Phillips, 23, Manhattan at an 827 West 12th Street Apartment C location.

Craig is charged with multiple counts ranging from 1st Degree Murder or in the alternative Felony Murder to Aggravated Robbery, Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Conspiracy to Commit 1st Degree Murder.

The first witness called by the prosecution was Phillips’ father, Anthony Phillips, Manhattan. In court he identified a black jacket as one that he had purchased for his son and confirmed his son carried a firearm most of the time. When he was shown a .40 caliber gun he indicated from a visual identification that it might be one that had belonged to his son.

A second state’s witness, Jabari Graves, Junction City, who lived at the 827 West 12th Street Apartment C location was not home at the time of the shooting. He testified he was informed by another person that there was a body in the apartment. Graves confirmed he then went to his apartment and upon arrival inside he saw blood on the wall, “a dude laying on the floor” and there was a blanket covering him. Graves confirmed he heard a knock on the door, that he fled the apartment,  and then called 911 for police.

The trial is scheduled to run for two weeks in Geary County District Court. Geary County Attorney Krista Blaisdell is prosecuting the case.