Testimony begins in attempted murder trial
Lead Summary
By
Brandy Chandler-brandychandler@gmail.com
Testimony has begun in Highland County Common Pleas Court Monday in the attempted murder trial of Hillsboro resident Jimmie Jacobs, who is accused of shooting Jonathan Harris in the face in December 2010.
As a result of the shooting, Harris lost one of his eyes.
Jacobs, 65, was indicted in March on one count of attempted murder with a gun specification, a felony of the first degree; one count of felonious assault with a gun specification, a felony of the second degree; and one count of aggravated burglary with a gun specification, a felony of the first degree.
After the jury was seated Wednesday morning, jurors were taken to view the apartment where the shooting took place, at 63 Belfast Pike, which is also the location of J & J Automotive. Jacobs lives across the street from that location.
Jacobs appeared in court Wednesday with an oxygen talk and with the assistance of a walker.
During opening statements, Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins said that Jacobs had loaned some money to Harris to put toward a truck. He later found out that the money was not being used toward its original purpose, and he wanted it back.
Collins alleged that Jacobs called Harris on Dec. 15, told him that he was going kill him, and then walked across the street to Harris's residence.
"(Jacobs) entered the apartment of Jonathan Harris, put a gun to his head and shot him. His eye was blown completely out of his head," Collins said.
During the encounter with Jacobs, Harris had been on the phone with Mark Puckett, and he heard the gunshot over the phone, Collins said.
When the Hillsboro Police Department arrived on the scene and interviewed Jacobs, Collins alleged that he told them that the gun was "long gone" and that, "they could look high and low, but they would never find it."
The gun has not been recovered, but forensic analyses of a bullet fragment shows that it was a large-caliber handgun, Collin said.
Forensic testing also showed that Jacobs had gunshot residue on his hands.
Tests were not performed, however, on an analyses of Harris's hands, because an older kit was used to collect the evidence and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation no longer uses that type of equipment, according to defense counsel.
Defenses attorney Jim Boulger said in his opening arguments that the fact that Jacobs was involved in the shooting was "undisputed," but to what extent he was involved was something the jury would have to decide.
Boulger said that Jacobs will testify that when he entered Harris's apartment, Harris pulled out the gun from behind the couch, and that Jacobs struck at the gun with his cane, lost his balance, and fell into the gun, and it went off.
The jurors must decide, Bougler said, "whether or not when (Jacobs) struck out with his cane ... if he did so with the intent to cause serious physical harm, or out of fear that he would face deadly force if he didn't do so."
Boulger said that the trajectory of the bullet will be important for the jury in determining what happened, because the bullet struck Harris's eye, but did not penetrate his skull.
Prior to the lunch hour, jurors heard testimony from two forensic scientists from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.
Testimony has begun in Highland County Common Pleas Court Monday in the attempted murder trial of Hillsboro resident Jimmie Jacobs, who is accused of shooting Jonathan Harris in the face in December 2010.
As a result of the shooting, Harris lost one of his eyes.
Jacobs, 65, was indicted in March on one count of attempted murder with a gun specification, a felony of the first degree; one count of felonious assault with a gun specification, a felony of the second degree; and one count of aggravated burglary with a gun specification, a felony of the first degree.
After the jury was seated Wednesday morning, jurors were taken to view the apartment where the shooting took place, at 63 Belfast Pike, which is also the location of J & J Automotive. Jacobs lives across the street from that location.
Jacobs appeared in court Wednesday with an oxygen talk and with the assistance of a walker.
During opening statements, Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins said that Jacobs had loaned some money to Harris to put toward a truck. He later found out that the money was not being used toward its original purpose, and he wanted it back.
Collins alleged that Jacobs called Harris on Dec. 15, told him that he was going to kill him, and then walked across the street to Harris's residence.
"(Jacobs) entered the apartment of Jonathan Harris, put a gun to his head and shot him. His eye was blown completely out of his head," Collins said.
During the encounter with Jacobs, Harris had been on the phone with Mark Puckett, and he heard the gunshot over the phone, Collins said.
When the Hillsboro Police Department arrived on the scene and interviewed Jacobs, Collins alleged that he told them that the gun was "long gone" and that "they could look high and low, but they would never find it."
The gun has not been recovered, but forensic analyses of a bullet fragment show that it was a large-caliber handgun, Collins said.
Forensic testing also showed that Jacobs had gunshot residue on his hands.
Tests were not performed, however, on an analysis of Harris's hands because an older kit was used to collect the evidence and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation no longer uses that type of equipment, according to defense counsel.
Defense attorney Jim Boulger said in his opening arguments that the fact that Jacobs was involved in the shooting was "undisputed," but to what extent he was involved was something the jury would have to decide.
Boulger said that Jacobs will testify that when he entered Harris's apartment, Harris pulled out the gun, and that Jacobs struck at the gun with his cane, lost his balance and fell into the gun, and it went off.
The jurors must decide, Bougler said, "whether or not when (Jacobs) struck out with his cane ... if he did so with the intent to cause serious physical harm, or out of fear that he would face deadly force if he didn't do so."
Boulger said that the trajectory of the bullet will be important for the jury in determining what happened because the bullet struck Harris's eye, but did not penetrate his skull.
Prior to the lunch hour, jurors heard testimony from two forensic scientists from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.
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