Duncan residents: 'We want Australia to know it's a good place'

The US city of Duncan hit international headlines in 2013 for all the wrong reasons, after the senseless murder of Australian baseball player Chris Lane.

With its name stained by a brutal and unfathomable slaying, residents are trying to restore the city's reputation as Lane’s accused killer, Chancey Luna, stands trial for the 22-year-old’s murder.

Seven Network’s U.S. correspondent Angela Cox witnessed first-hand the actions of those residents eager to demonstrate the true values of the Duncan community.

Angela was dining at a city restaurant with other journalists, after covering day three of the trial, when a local couple insisted they pick up their tab.

The generous pair wanted Australia to know their hometown is a 'good place', but asked to remain anonymous.

“At dinner with media friends after covering the Chris Lane trial and a couple picked up our tab...” she tweeted.

“They told the waitress they wanted to remain anonymous but wanted Australia to know Duncan is a good place.

“Every encounter I’ve had supports that.

“An amazing community that’s rallied behind the Lanes and Harpers.”

Lane was jogging along a residential street in the rural Oklahoma city when he was shot by Luna.

The bullet struck him in the back and ricocheted off his ribs, puncturing both lungs and tearing his aorta and pulmonary artery.

The forensic pathologist who performed Lane’s autopsy, Dr Inis Yacoub, said blood was found in Lane’s airways, indicating he would have been gasping for breath before he died.

Dr. Yacoub was one of the final prosecution witnesses in the three-day first-degree murder trial of Luna in the Stephens County Courthouse.

She told the Oklahoma court the baseball player suffered such catastrophic gun shot injuries, only a miracle could have saved him.

Luna’s lawyer Jim Berry told the jury the 17-year old fired the .22 revolver from a high school friend’s moving Ford Focus to scare Lane.

If the jury finds Luna guilty of first-degree murder, he could be sentenced to life in prison without the prospect of parole.

It is believed Berry will ask the judge to let the jury consider a second-degree murder charge.

Lane was on a baseball scholarship at Oklahoma's East Central University and was dating local Sarah Harper.

He was two weeks away from celebrating his 23rd birthday.

• Only a 'miracle' could have saved Chris Lane