KAJO - AM 1270 - Grants Pass, OR

The Defense of Ronald Eugene Spears trial rested shortly afternoon today and the rest of the day was taken by closing arguments, and final jury instructions. The Jury was given the case to decide about 4:00 p.m. this afternoon. The case has been billed as the battle between off road ... See more vehicle drivers and miners. Basically several four wheelers found their way onto Spears mining claim and in the ensuing confrontation Gregory Graybill was shot in the lower right arm with a .12 gauge shotgun. Graybill feels it was intentional and alleges he pushed the shotgun from left to right away from his chest or he would have been dead. Spears never took the stand in his defense but the jury did see a video replay of his statement to a Josephine County Sheriff’s deputy. In that statement he said several times it was an accident and the shotgun discharged when Graybill grabbed it and pulled. Spears is facing charges of assault in the first degree and unlawful use of a weapon, but Judge Lindi Baker did instruct the jurors they could consider the lesser charges of assault II, or assault III.

Visit the Radio's website