Cases laid out in murder trial

The defendant is guilty of murder through his complicity in the robbery, a prosecutor says.

By PETER H. MILLIKEN

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

YOUNGSTOWN — Larese Jones is guilty of murder in the shooting death of Richard Helms, because Jones was complicit with Helms in the robbery that led to Helms’ death at the hands of the intended robbery victim, an assistant prosecutor said.

However, Jones’ defense lawyer told jurors at Jones’ trial that they’d have a hard time sorting out the events of Feb. 22 at a Randolph Street residence — and they’d have difficulty distinguishing the perpetrator from the victim.

David Klamer Jr., 47, who resided in the Randolph Street home, told police he fatally shot Helms during the robbery.

Martin P. Desmond, assistant county prosecutor, and John Dixon, Jones’ defense lawyer, made their remarks in opening statements Tuesday in Jones’ trial before Judge R. Scott Krichbaum of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Testimony resumes at 9 a.m. today with Detective Rick Spotleson of the city police department taking the witness stand for the prosecution to discuss his interview with Jones concerning the events of Feb. 22.

Jones, 30, of Wampum Drive, is on trial for murder, aggravated robbery, aggravated drug trafficking and involuntary manslaughter and could face up to a life prison term if he’s convicted of the murder charge.

Links

The murder charge is linked to the robbery charge because the robbery was the proximate cause of Helms’ death, and the same linkage applies between the involuntary manslaughter charge and the drug trafficking charge, Desmond explained to the jurors.

“We’re not going to put a gun in the defendant’s hand. We don’t have to. All we have to show is that he aided or abetted another person in the commission of these crimes,” Desmond told the jury.

Jones and Helms, 43, of Himrod Avenue, went to Klamer’s residence to sell 90 painkilling OxyContin pills to Klamer. Jones admitted to police that he drove Helms to Klamer’s residence knowing about the intended drug sale and about Helms’ intention to rob Klamer, Desmond said.

With Jones sitting in a chair near the door at Klamer’s residence, Helms and Klamer discussed the drug transaction; Helms, and then Klamer, drew handguns and fired at each other; and Klamer fired two shots into Helms’ head, Desmond said. Jones, whose left leg had been partially amputated, fled, leaving behind his crutches, which were displayed for the jury as evidence, Desmond said.

Other witnesses

Detective Sgt. Kevin Mercer of the city police testified that he arrested Jones on March 1 at an Akron area motel.

Also testifying for the prosecution was Martin Lewis, a forensic scientist with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation, who said he found gunshot residue on samples taken from the hands of Klamer and Helms.

“It doesn’t sound like Richard Helms was trying to rob anyone. It’s equally as likely that David Klamer was robbing Richard Helms,” Dixon told the jurors in his opening remarks. “Who was robbing who? I guess that’s what you’re going to have to find out.”

“The prime person they want to prosecute in this case is a person who, admittedly, had no gun in his hand and had no pills in his hands,” Dixon observed. “You jurors are going to have a tough job,” he said.

Klamer did not call 911 to report the incident and police did not arrive at the scene until about 45 minutes after the shooting, Dixon noted.

Dixon said one of the prosecution’s witnesses, Klamer’s 17-year-old son, David Klamer III, who was in the house when Helms and Jones were present, failed to note that Jones was an amputee who used crutches in the initial description of Jones he gave police.

After the shooting, the elder Klamer shoved OxyContin pills into his mouth and expressed suicidal intentions, Desmond said. After the shooting, Klamer was coaxed out of his house by a hostage negotiator, police said.