The mother of a killer who stabbed an aspiring footballer tried to help him flee the country to a safe house in Jamaica following the murder, a court heard.
Kami Carpenter, 22, was convicted of murdering 23-year-old Cody Fisher, who was knifed on the dance floor of The Crane nightclub in Digbeth, Birmingham, during a Boxing Day 2022 revenge attack in front of revellers.
After the stabbing, Carpenter, 22, fled to London, where he was arrested by police three days later.
Prosecutors told Wolverhampton Crown Court that his mother, Jahzeen Carpenter, 39, plotted to get him out of the country by booking a flight from Heathrow and arranging a safe house in Spanish Town, Jamaica.
She is now on trial, accused of assisting an offender, whilst her sister, Nadine Taylor, 45, faced the same charge but is said to be too unwell to stand trial.
Jurors were told the pair scoured the internet for updates on the investigation as they tried to organise the killer’s escape.
Prosecuting, Andrew Wallace KC said: ‘We can see how often Kami Carpenter and his mother phoned each other.
‘There are numerous voice notes on WhatsApp and messages between the two and even a family Whatsapp group.’
Cash was stuffed into bags and given to Kami to aid his safe passage and pay off those who would be sheltering them in Jamaica, the court heard.
The jury was played several voice messages between the two during Kami’s journey to London from Birmingham.
One heard the mother say: ‘I just need to get him there and get him safe.’
Mr Wallace said: ‘Searches are made about Mr Fisher’s murder on various media websites by Nadine Taylor and then forwarded to Jahzeen and Kami Carpenter.
‘In one message Kami replies ‘Crane’ nightclub, which was followed by an immediate phone call.
‘The phone evidence shows Jahzeen and Kami’s phones are near each other on the journey to London, whether they are in the same car or in convoy we do not know.’
Detective Sergeant Olivia Mason gave evidence after collating various phone calls, messages and meetings between Taylor and the two Carpenters.
She said: ‘The journey to London started around 2.15pm. The cars were captured on ANPR [automatic number plate recognition] cameras.
‘The two were calling each other as they were not in the same car.’
It is alleged Jahzeen delivered her son to a safe house in London before returning to Birmingham
The two sisters were spotted with large suitcases outside a London address on December 28.
But officers thwarted the escape when they arrested Kami, who was found with the suitcases, the cash and a ticket booked to Jamaica.
Jurors were told the mother lashed out after police found her son, attacking the officers arresting him.
Non-league footballer Cody, who played for Birmingham City, Walsall and Stratford Town, was killed after he accidentally bumped into one of his killers.
Last year, Remy Gordon, 23, and Carpenter were jailed for life at Birmingham Crown Court.
The pair tried to escape the country together, but blamed each other for the stabbing, but the prosecution and police maintained it was Carpenter who delivered the fatal blows.
Cody suffered a stab wound to the heart and despite his girlfriend Jess Chatwin desperately trying to resuscitate him, he died at the scene.
A court heard Carpenter and Gordon hunted down Cody after he accidentally touched Gordon’s back in Popworld, Solihull, 48 hours earlier.
Following the ‘trivial’ altercation, they identified him on Snapchat before attacking him with a ferocious’ Zombie knife as he enjoyed a night out with friends.
Ms Carpenter, of Dudley, West Mids., denies the charge and the trial, which is expected to last five days, continues.