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Witnesses say victim was prone to violence
Jury deliberations are slated to begin today.
LISBON — Jamie Farley, 35, was described as a violent man instead of an apparently unarmed murder victim.
Eric Dillard is on trial in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court, charged with Farley’s murder with a gun specification.
He also is charged with illegal possession of a weapon because of a previous drug conviction.
He could get 15 years to life in prison if convicted of the murder charge.
Jurors are to hear final arguments today before they begin deliberations.
Witness after witness testified Wednesday about Farley’s temper and violent actions and words.
Wellsville police said Dillard, 31, shot Farley twice outside Dillard’s house at 906 Commerce St., Wellsville on April 22, 2008.
Authorities did not find a second gun at the scene.
Farley, of East Liverpool, purportedly went to Dillard’s home that day to discuss a low rate of return in a clothing-sales deal.
Matt Dalrympk of Wellsville testified he was a friend of Farley’s.
In February or March 2008, he said he went to a carwash in Wellsville. He said he saw Farley and Dillard “kind of arguing.”
Under questioning by John Gamble, the chief assistant in the county prosecutor’s office, Dalrympk said he also had once seen Farley chat with Dillard across the fence at Dillard’s home.
“The defendant was friends with Jamie Farley,” he added.
Dustin Carr testified that he had heard Farley say, “I can be your best friend; but if you mess with my money, I can be your worst friend.”
Farley had been told by Dillard he could double or triple his money in the clothing sale business. But after investing $20,000, Farley’s return was $1,500, according to previous testimony. Records from Dillard’s clothing business indicated the business accounts had no money.
Melynda S. Zimmer testified she was working at Dalonzo’s, a local restaurant, on the night of the shooting.
Farley came in and noticed that there were clothes from Dillard’s business that were left in a hallway.
His appearance happened within about 30 minutes of the shooting, according to testimony.
When news of the shooting reached the restaurant later that night, Zimmer said, people thought Dillard was the victim. The owner of the restaurant, she said, told workers to lock the doors.
Michael Shannon testified he is the father of one child by Farley’s girlfriend, Shirley Hackney. He testified that when he once called to make arrangements to see his child, “Jamie Farley threatened to kill me.”
Andrea Hackney, Shirley’s mother, testified she had taken her other children to play with Shirley Hackney’s child last October.
Farley appeared at the home and said, “Some stuff was going to go down.”
The women got the children in the house. Andrea Hackney said she looked out and Farley had a gun stuck in the mouth of a frightened local man.
“I took my kids and left,” Andrea Hackney said.
wilkinson@vindy.com