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Murder suspect smiles, sticks tongue out at victim’s family

Posted at 11:48 AM, Sep 10, 2015
and last updated 2015-09-10 11:48:26-04

WILMINGTON, N.C. -- A man accused of killing a Wilmington man showed no remorse during his first court appearance on Tuesday morning.

As he walked into the courtroom Antonio Beatty, 21, smiled and then stuck out his tongue at the victim's family, according to WECT.

Beatty was charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of  25-year-old Carlton Walker Whitley in July.

Whitley's fiancee, daughter and sister, who were all in the courtroom Tuesday, were furious about Beatty's actions.

"I feel like justice needs to be served. He don't care obviously. He showed that his self in court that he don't care, that he don't have no remorse for what he did, and he needs to be charged," Whitley's fiancée, Octavia Bryant told WECT.

In an interview inside the jail, Beatty told WECT he reacted that way because he was being taunted by the victim's family.

Beatty is expected to plead not guilty. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.