A prosecutor has dropped murder charges against a 21-year-old man for a 2009 shooting the defendant has contended was self-defense.
Criminal Court Judge Barry Steelman accepted the dismissal and a guilty plea on a separate drug related charge for Edward Jackson III. Jackson was first charged with first-degree murder, later downgraded to second-degree murder in the shooting death of Antonio Green, 28, at a park near Amnicola Highway.
Jackson had been free on bond awaiting trial before being arrested on a marijuana for resale charge in May. He must serve another two months on that charge before being released.
Witnesses said that on Nov. 5, 2009, Green approached Jackson, who was seated in a vehicle. The pair argued, Green punched Jackson, dragged him out of the car and began kicking him.
Jackson told police he saw a handgun on the ground nearby, grabbed it and shot Green in self-defense.
Bryan Hoss, Jackson's attorney, credited prosecutor Lance Pope for seeing the case as self-defense and dropping the charges.
For more see tomorrow's Times Free Press