Guilty verdict in shooting, carjacking

YOUNGSTOWN — A guilty verdict was reached Friday afternoon in the case against a 23-year-old man accused of shooting at police and carjacking a church secretary.

After lunch, the jury heard instructions from Judge James C. Evans in Mahoning County Common Pleas. The panel — 10 men and two women — began deliberating around 2:30 p.m. and concluded just before 4:30 p.m.

The charges against Jumal Edwards of Woodcrest Avenue are aggravated robbery and seven counts of felonious assault, one for each officer. The charges stem from July 1, 2005 when a white Cadillac was taken from the secretary at Mount Zion Church. After the carjacking, shots were fired from the Cadillac at pursuing police — who fired back — and then the car’s four occupants fled on foot into a wooded area at the dead end of Pearl Street on the East Side. No one was injured during the exchange of gunfire.

Police said Edwards was the front seat passenger and fired one of three assault rifles used to shoot at the seven officers.

For more, see Saturday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com