Prosecutor: Selling fentanyl was ‘playing with loaded gun.’ Now jury to decide if it’s murder
The jury tasked with deciding whether a San Luis Obispo woman murdered a Templeton man when she sold him the fentanyl he fatally overdosed on began deliberations Friday.
In her testimony Wednesday, Brandi Turner, 50, admitted she sold fentanyl to 31-year-old Quinn Hall on Oct. 26, 2022. The questions jurors must answer are whether that sale caused Hall’s death and what Turner’s mindset was going into it.
During closing arguments Thursday, San Luis Obispo County Deputy District Attorney argued Turner knew the drug had the potential to kill when she sold it to Hall and was profiting off Hall’s addiction. Turner had overdosed on fentanyl herself, Devitt said, and her husband died of a fentanyl overdose. Turner also received a training on the dangers of fentanyl during her employment at the California Men’s Colony, he said.
Turner’s attorney, Jeffry Radding, argued Turner knew Hall was a regular user and had never seen anyone overdose or die if they took fentanyl intentionally. Her and her husband thought they were taking cocaine when they overdosed, Radding said. He added that Turner was working with her real life experiences and was not profiting off any sales.
Before the jury began deliberations, Devitt had the opportunity to present his rebuttal arguments to jurors.
Defendant was ‘playing with a loaded gun’ when she sold fentanyl, prosecutor argues
In his closing arguments Thursday, Radding showed a photo of detectives without masks leaving Turner’s RV that was known to have fentanyl inside. At least two expert witnesses testified that the drug was so dangerous they had to wear full PPE.
Devitt said Radding was trying to distract jurors from the facts of the case by focusing on whether fentanyl was dangerous. The fact is, Devitt said, fentanyl is extremely dangerous.
He added that the drug did not change the way it worked depending on whether the user was intentionally or unintentionally taking it.
“Fentanyl is not a human being. It has no feelings. It has no cares,” Devitt said. “It has tremendous legitimate medical utilities. It’s ravenous in the recreational setting and it kills.”
Turner knew Hall could not self-regulate because Turner asked Hall if he had been administered Narcan — which reverses an opioid overdose — in August 2022, Devitt argued. Hall had not replied.
Hall overdosed on GHB on Oct. 2, 2022, and he had paid $7 for one hit of fentanyl, Devitt said.
Devitt said Turner knew fentanyl was dangerous and even told Hall about her husband’s death, but still sold the drug anyways.
“The defendant was playing with a loaded gun every time she sold,” Devitt said.
Devitt argued the evidence “clearly showed” Turner was guilty of murdering Hall and said he hoped the jurors would find the same.
San Luis Obispo Superior Court Judge gave jurors their final instructions and the jury entered the deliberation room at approximately 2 p.m.
This story was originally published January 19, 2024 at 3:54 PM.
