Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect that Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Chris Craft will rule on whether McKinney Wright’s testimony was given voluntarily.

A local judge will rule by next week whether one of the defendants accused of killing former Greater Memphis Chamber CEO Phil Trenary in 2018 voluntarily confessed to the crime.

Lawyers for McKinney Wright, who is accused of killing Trenary, argued before Shelby County Criminal Court Division 8 Judge Chris Craft Wednesday, Nov. 15, that he falsely confessed to doing so when he was interviewed by Lt. Ma’Hajj Abdul-Baaqee of the Memphis Police Department. 

Phil Trenary trial delayed again

Jason Ballenger, one of the two lawyers who appeared on Wright’s behalf Wednesday, focused on the fact that Abdul-Baaqee allegedly told Wright during the interview that video showed him approaching Trenary just before the killing, which later was discovered to not be true, according to Ballenger. 

“Simple things like telling him, ‘Hey, you’re on video doing this’ can be enough to render his statement coercion,” Ballenger said. 

Video of the Abdul-Baaqee and Wright interview does not exist; at the time, it was MPD policy to not record suspect interviews. That policy was changed in 2020.

Abdul-Baaqee also was in court Wednesday. He revealed that Quandarius Richardson, who is also charged in the case, allegedly forced Wright at gunpoint to rob Trenary. 

Abdul-Baaqee told Ballenger that Richardson and Wright were looking for victims, according to Wright’s confession, when Richardson spotted a pregnant woman that he wanted Wright to rob. Wright refused. 

“That’s when Lil’ Man, aka Richardson, pointed a gun at him and said, ‘The next person, you’re going to get,’” Abdul-Baaqee said. 

The next person, allegedly, was Trenary. 

Trials separated for two suspects accused in Phil Trenary killing

Craft did not rule from the bench Wednesday but said he would rule before Thanksgiving. 

“It’s hard for me to see [that the confession was given involuntarily],” he said. 

State prosecutors also argued to block the testimony of Megan Avery, a local clinical and forensic psychologist who Wright’s lawyers plan to call at trial. 

Katherine Oberembt, who also is representing Wright, said Avery could speak to Wright’s mental disability, and therefore his susceptibility to being coerced to give a false testimony.

José F. León, who is prosecuting the case on behalf of the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office, argued Wright’s disability was not a factor in his confession. He also said Avery’s testimony would be confusing to a jury.

Trial delayed for suspects in slaying of Greater Memphis Chamber leader Phil Trenary

In the absence of video footage, Craft said the prosecution’s case is based largely on Wright’s confession. Therefore, he will hear Avery’s testimony before trial begins and then determine if a jury hears from her.

Wright’s trial is set for Dec. 4. Ballenger said after the hearing that if his confession were ruled invalid, it would be up to the state to decide how to proceed. 

Lawyers for the two sides will be back in court Nov. 29 to argue if jail phone calls will be allowed as evidence at trial.

Leon suggested there are about 88 calls the prosecution has record of, and he would provide a list of them. 

Ballenger argued Wright will not be linked to all of those calls.

A Daily Memphian editor is related to a member of the prosecution’s legal team but was not involved in the writing or editing of this story.