JEFFERSON COUNTY — The jury trial of a 21-year-old Mt. Vernon man charged with murder and robbery in Jefferson County Court continues from last week, with opening arguments and testimony having started after the holiday weekend.

John Wells, who remains in custody of the Jefferson County Jail, has appeared in street clothes each day of trial.

Wells is charged with the January 20, 2017, shooting death of DeAndrey Jackson in a Mt. Vernon alley.

Prosecutors say Jackson was shot to death during a botched robbery. Wells was subsequently indicted in the case, along with seven others, including Curtis Devan, Jr., Dantrez Brown, Deon Frazier, Jarron Liddell, Lamar Williams Jr., Tony Feggins, and Lekedrion Russell.

Russell, Devan, and Frazier, have pleaded guilty to lesser charges in exchange for testifying against the other co-defendants. Brown and Liddell also entered plea agreements requiring them to testify but murder and robbery charges against them were dismissed.

If they don’t testify, they can still be prosecuted on murder and robbery charges.

Williams, Russell, and Devan have all been transported this week from the Illinois Department of Corrections to the Jefferson County Jail to make them available for testimony in Wells’ trial.