Suspect in killings to take polygraph
By ED RUNYAN
runyan@vindy.com
WARREN
Denise L. Jackson, one of the six people charged in the killings of Wilneice L. Green, 28, and her 13-year-old daughter, Ja-Brajasia, on Nov. 15 in their Northgate Drive home in Liberty, has agreed to take a lie- detector test in hopes of getting her charges reduced.
Jackson, 25, of Trumbull Court, Liberty, agreed to the polygraph during a hearing Friday in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.
Jackson was indicted on two counts of aggravated murder and single counts of aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence and being a felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted, she faces a possible life prison sentence without parole.
Her attorney, Thomas Zena, said after the hearing that the polygraph test will allow prosecutors to learn more about Jackson’s participation or nonparticipation in the killings and possibly avoid trial. Jackson returns to court at 1:30 p.m. May 7.
Jackson is at least the fourth person among the people implicated in the crime to either take a lie-detector test or agree to take one.
James M. Christian, 20, of Dale Street, Youngstown, passed a lie-detector test earlier and pleaded guilty to two counts of complicity to involuntary manslaughter and single counts of aggravated burglary and tampering with evidence.
He will be sentenced in September and agreed to an 18-year prison sentence.
Shalenda T. DeFoor, 20, girlfriend of another defendant, Marquese J. Floyd, 26, of Atkinson Avenue, Youngstown, also passed a polygraph test regarding things Floyd told her after the killings. She was not part of the group who went to the Northgate home during the killings, police said.
DeFoor will be sentenced Oct. 25 after pleading guilty to obstructing justice and tampering with evidence.
Appollonia E. Baker, 25, of Miller Street, Youngstown, also agreed to take a polygraph test, though Chris Becker, an assistant county prosecutor, declined to say whether she took one.
Baker is due back in court at 10 a.m. April 9 before Judge John M. Stuard.
The man prosecutors say was the triggerman, Melvin L. Turner, 36, of Maryland, has been locked up in a Maryland jail since late November on an unrelated offense.
Becker said there is no rush in having Turner extradited to Trumbull County because he will remain locked up in Maryland until he is needed here.
Prosecutors have said Jackson told Floyd on Nov. 15 that Semmie Shorter, 38, had to “pay” for allegedly sexually assaulting a female relative of hers and Floyd’s at Green’s home.
That night, she, Floyd, Christian, Baker and Turner went to the Northgate home to kill Shorter, but after not finding him there, Turner fatally shot Green and her daughter instead, prosecutors say.
Floyd told DeFoor there was no plan to kill Green and her daughter, and he didn’t know why Turner had done it, prosecutors said.