The attorney defending a Butler man charged with homicide in the 2024 shooting death of another man wants prosecution witnesses to provide expert opinions summarizing the findings in their pathology, firearm and other reports.

The request was made in a brief hearing Wednesday, May 20, in Butler County Common Pleas Court in the case against Sean E. Williams, 38, who was charged with the Nov. 5 death of Christopher Waggett, 47, of Butler. Waggett died on a sidewalk outside an American Avenue home where Butler police said an argument led to the shooting outside.

Public defender Michael McFarland said the district attorney’s office has provided all the discovery material he requested, including a list of expert witnesses.

Assistant district attorney Mark Lope said the list includes experts in pathology, toxicology, DNA and firearms, and their reports will be used in court.

Those experts must provide opinions summarizing the meaning of their reports and how they came to their conclusions, McFarland said.

The experts explain everything in their reports and will explain their reports during testimony, Lope said.

Judge Joseph Kubit said he will consider the arguments and issue a decision.

The shooting took place at the corner of American and North Sixth avenues. According to an affidavit, Williams and Waggett were among a group of people inside a home on American Avenue when the two men got into an argument.

Waggett left, but returned, and he and Williams got into another argument. Waggett walked away, but a witness told police Williams took a gun from a woman’s purse and walked in the direction of Waggett, according to the affidavit.

According to the affidavit, Waggett said something to Williams and knocked a bottle out of Williams’ hand. Williams then shot Waggett.

Williams left the scene, but was apprehended on West New Castle Street. Williams told police that Waggett made several threatening comments to him and then walked away to make a phone call, according to the affidavit.

He told police he was worried that Waggett had called to ask friends from his motorcycle club to harm him. Williams went back to the home on American Avenue, took a gun from a woman and walked toward Waggett, according to the affidavit.

Williams said he and Waggett argued again, and he felt something strike the side of his head before he shot Waggett, according to the affidavit. A status conference has been scheduled for July 20. Williams is being held in the Butler County Prison without bail.