Defense: King did not kill Lee

SARASOTA - The trial of Michael King for the murder of Denise Amber Lee took a stunning turn today when the defense accused another man in open court of killing Lee.

King is on trial in Sarasota for the January 2008 kidnapping, sexual assault and killing of the 21-year old mother of two young children. He was arrested the night of the murder and prosecutors feel they have strong witness and forensic evidence connecting him to the homicide.

That includes the testimony of Robert Salvador, a contractor who says he was target shooting with King just hours before the abduction. Salvador says the defendant brought his own 9mm semiautomatic handgun to the pistol range.

"He opened the door, got it out from under his seat, and that's when -- I was already there, and I told him, you can't just walk up there with your gun out of a case so I put it in my bag," Salvador said.

But defense attorney Jerry Meisner pointed out several inconsistencies in information the witness initially provided detectives, even getting him to use the word "lied".

Then Meisner launched a series of questions suggesting Salvador met up with King later that day. The final question:

"Didn't you fire the shot that killed and took the life of Denise Lee?" Meisner asked.

"Absolutely not," Salvador responded.

Judge Deno Economou instructed jurors to disregard all of the questions except the last one.

Earlier Wednesday, he let jurors go to a secured courthouse parking lot and look at Michael King's green Camaro. Much of the state's case relies on evidence from that vehicle.