‘Thou shall not kill,’ Columbiana prosecutor says at close of Dillard trial

LISBON — A prosecutor gave a lesson in Scripture and Ohio law during the closing arguments in the murder trial of Eric Dillard.

Defense lawyer James Hartford had quoted from Proverbs that relates Biblical standards for relations between mankind.

But John Gamble, the chief assistant in the Columbiana County Prosecutor’s office, quoted from Exodus Chapter 20, which contains the 10 Commandents, one of which says, “Thou shall not kill.”

Dillard, 31, of 906 Commerce St., Wellsville, is on trial in common pleas court for murder for shooting his business partner, Jamie Farley, 35, of East Liverpool, about 10 p.m. April 22, 2008.

That murder charges carries a gun specification, and Dillard also is charged with illegal possession of a weapon because of a previous drug conviction. He could receive 15 years to life imprisonment if convicted of the murder charge, plus additional time for the gun specification and the illegal gun possession charge.

Atty. Doug King also has assisted in Dillard’s defense.

The jury received the case early today and began deliberations that ended about 5 p.m. Jurors resume deliberations Friday. Judge C. Ashley Pike is presiding.

For the complete story, see Friday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com