19-year-old with a gun...and bad judgment...
He claims self-defense. It is quite unclear that it was self-defense. Looks like it was just "macho puffing up."
Not a good situation. Macho puffing up and a gun...
Mr. Ross never had a chance.
Wife describes Ross death
10 witnesses called at start of murder trial
August 20, 2008
By TAVIA D. GREEN
The Leaf-Chronicle
Rebecca Ross took the stand Tuesday in the trial of Jeremy A. Jarvis, the 20-year-old man accused in the shooting death of her husband, retired Northwest Coach Willard Ross.
She choked up as she described June 25, 2007, when her husband was shot in the mouth while he stood in the tent of their family-owned fireworks tent.
Ross said she stood two feet from her husband and watched as the man she'd been married to for 41 years jerked back and fell forward as a bullet struck him.
"When I looked at him his head went back ... and the blood gushed out of his mouth," she said. "I reached for him so he wouldn't hit the ground so hard."
Ross said she went to get her cell phone and told herself to be calm as she hysterically talked to the 911 operator.
Ross was one of the ten witnesses called to testify Tuesday by Assistant District Attorneys Steve Garrett and Chris Clark.
Jarvis, along with Jovan Preche Dixon, is charged with attempted first-degree murder, felony murder, first-degree murder, reckless endangerment and unlawful carrying and possession of a firearm.
Dixon is being tried separately, in a trial slated to begin Nov. 17.
Jarvis' attorney, Tommy Overton, has subpoenaed Dixon to testify in Jarvis' trial. However, Dixon's attorney, Michael Sneed, said Tuesday he has advised his client to plead the Fifth Amendment if called to testify.
Opening statements
A jury of 14 Robertson County jurors was selected Monday in Springfield, and is being sequestered during the trial.
Assistant District Attorney Chris Clark made opening statements Tuesday and described in detail how on June 25, 2007, "time stood still and a nightmare began for Rebecca Ross."
Jarvis was a backseat passenger in the car, Clark said. A woman named Evelyn Harris — whose husband, Charles Mitchell, was the driver of the SUV — got out and went into Wal-Mart to shop, Clark said.
Clark said Dixon had been shopping in the store and left as Harris was going on. When Dixon came out the store he caught Harris' eyes and gave her a second look.
That's when words, mean looks and scoldings were exchanged, Clark said, involving Dixon, Jarvis and Jarvis' three companions.
"There was macho puffing up," Clark said. "That's when Dixon takes out a 9 millimeter and fires toward the car."
Jarvis ran behind the SUV to take refuge, Clark said.
"After Dixon starts firing, Jarvis decides to arm himself, then he goes on the offensive. And as the vehicle goes in front of the fireworks tents, he fires five times across the parking lot. Tragically, the bullet entered the tent and struck Mr. Ross," Clark said.
Clark said Jarvis fired in retaliation — not in self defense — and urged the jury to return a guilty verdict for the first-degree murder of Ross.
In defending his client, Overton said it was Dixon's actions that led to Ross' death.
"The proof will show Jeremy Jarvis made some bad decisions on that day ... like any 19-year-old would," Overton said. "But that doesn't mean he is a murderer."
Overton said Jarvis and his companions went to Wal-Mart to purchase food for a cookout, not to have combat or kill Ross.
He said Jarvis did not know Ross or Dixon.
When Harris went in the store, Dixon looked at her behind and Jarvis rolled down the window to tell Dixon she was already taken, Overton said.
Overton said Dixon took it to the next level when he veered his vehicle, a blue Pontiac, toward the men and shot at them.
When Jarvis fired back, Overton said it was in self-defense, fearing for his life and his friends' lives.
Jurors heard Tuesday from several witnesses to the shooting.
William Coleman, 21, a passenger with Jarvis in the SUV, testified that Dixon shot first. He said he did not see Jarvis fire shots, but heard the shots and a woman screaming.
"You could tell something happened out of the ordinary ... the woman was screaming," Coleman said. "You could hear death in her voice."
Garrett questioned Coleman about seeing Jarvis put a gun in his pocket.
Coleman said he saw something in Jarvis' pocket but could not say it was gun.
He said everyone panicked and went to a nearby grocery store parking lot, where a friend picked them up. "We were scared," Coleman said. "We panicked."
Coleman later said they didn't know someone had been hurt, and that he and Jarvis were in fear of their lives while Dixon fired at the Eyewitness Stephanie Wendland said she did not see the black SUV move after the shooting for about four or five minutes.
"I don't think they knew they hurt somebody," she said.
Prosecutors will continue to present evidence today when court resumes.
http://www.theleafchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080820/CRIME/808200356
He claims self-defense. It is quite unclear that it was self-defense. Looks like it was just "macho puffing up."
Not a good situation. Macho puffing up and a gun...
Mr. Ross never had a chance.
Wife describes Ross death
10 witnesses called at start of murder trial
August 20, 2008
By TAVIA D. GREEN
The Leaf-Chronicle
Rebecca Ross took the stand Tuesday in the trial of Jeremy A. Jarvis, the 20-year-old man accused in the shooting death of her husband, retired Northwest Coach Willard Ross.
She choked up as she described June 25, 2007, when her husband was shot in the mouth while he stood in the tent of their family-owned fireworks tent.
Ross said she stood two feet from her husband and watched as the man she'd been married to for 41 years jerked back and fell forward as a bullet struck him.
"When I looked at him his head went back ... and the blood gushed out of his mouth," she said. "I reached for him so he wouldn't hit the ground so hard."
Ross said she went to get her cell phone and told herself to be calm as she hysterically talked to the 911 operator.
Ross was one of the ten witnesses called to testify Tuesday by Assistant District Attorneys Steve Garrett and Chris Clark.
Jarvis, along with Jovan Preche Dixon, is charged with attempted first-degree murder, felony murder, first-degree murder, reckless endangerment and unlawful carrying and possession of a firearm.
Dixon is being tried separately, in a trial slated to begin Nov. 17.
Jarvis' attorney, Tommy Overton, has subpoenaed Dixon to testify in Jarvis' trial. However, Dixon's attorney, Michael Sneed, said Tuesday he has advised his client to plead the Fifth Amendment if called to testify.
Opening statements
A jury of 14 Robertson County jurors was selected Monday in Springfield, and is being sequestered during the trial.
Assistant District Attorney Chris Clark made opening statements Tuesday and described in detail how on June 25, 2007, "time stood still and a nightmare began for Rebecca Ross."
Jarvis was a backseat passenger in the car, Clark said. A woman named Evelyn Harris — whose husband, Charles Mitchell, was the driver of the SUV — got out and went into Wal-Mart to shop, Clark said.
Clark said Dixon had been shopping in the store and left as Harris was going on. When Dixon came out the store he caught Harris' eyes and gave her a second look.
That's when words, mean looks and scoldings were exchanged, Clark said, involving Dixon, Jarvis and Jarvis' three companions.
"There was macho puffing up," Clark said. "That's when Dixon takes out a 9 millimeter and fires toward the car."
Jarvis ran behind the SUV to take refuge, Clark said.
"After Dixon starts firing, Jarvis decides to arm himself, then he goes on the offensive. And as the vehicle goes in front of the fireworks tents, he fires five times across the parking lot. Tragically, the bullet entered the tent and struck Mr. Ross," Clark said.
Clark said Jarvis fired in retaliation — not in self defense — and urged the jury to return a guilty verdict for the first-degree murder of Ross.
In defending his client, Overton said it was Dixon's actions that led to Ross' death.
"The proof will show Jeremy Jarvis made some bad decisions on that day ... like any 19-year-old would," Overton said. "But that doesn't mean he is a murderer."
Overton said Jarvis and his companions went to Wal-Mart to purchase food for a cookout, not to have combat or kill Ross.
He said Jarvis did not know Ross or Dixon.
When Harris went in the store, Dixon looked at her behind and Jarvis rolled down the window to tell Dixon she was already taken, Overton said.
Overton said Dixon took it to the next level when he veered his vehicle, a blue Pontiac, toward the men and shot at them.
When Jarvis fired back, Overton said it was in self-defense, fearing for his life and his friends' lives.
Jurors heard Tuesday from several witnesses to the shooting.
William Coleman, 21, a passenger with Jarvis in the SUV, testified that Dixon shot first. He said he did not see Jarvis fire shots, but heard the shots and a woman screaming.
"You could tell something happened out of the ordinary ... the woman was screaming," Coleman said. "You could hear death in her voice."
Garrett questioned Coleman about seeing Jarvis put a gun in his pocket.
Coleman said he saw something in Jarvis' pocket but could not say it was gun.
He said everyone panicked and went to a nearby grocery store parking lot, where a friend picked them up. "We were scared," Coleman said. "We panicked."
Coleman later said they didn't know someone had been hurt, and that he and Jarvis were in fear of their lives while Dixon fired at the Eyewitness Stephanie Wendland said she did not see the black SUV move after the shooting for about four or five minutes.
"I don't think they knew they hurt somebody," she said.
Prosecutors will continue to present evidence today when court resumes.
http://www.theleafchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080820/CRIME/808200356
