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Youngstown shooting victim, defendant, argued over custody issues
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
An issue involving children was behind the shooting last July of a Willis Avenue man, prosecutors said in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.
During opening statements Tuesday in the trial of Jerome Given, 53, who faces a charge of attempted murder for the July 11 wounding of Charles Pete, 44, Michael Yacovone, an assistant county prosecutor, told jurors Pete was dating the mother of two of Given’s children.
When Pete spotted Given outside his Compton Lane home with one of the children, he decided to stop to say hello to the child and also to speak to Given “man to man” to see if the dispute could be worked out.
Yacovone said the woman, Pete and Given often argued about the children.
Instead, Pete ended up shot twice and Given lost the skin on his arms and legs because he was dragged by Pete’s car when Pete tried to drive away.
Yacovone said Given shot Pete in an unprovoked attack, but Tom Zena, Given’s attorney, said his client was defending himself.
Yacovone said Given pulled a revolver as they talked in the drive and smacked Pete in the face with it. Pete then walked back toward his car and was shot in the back, Yacovone said.
Pete was shot again as he tried to get into the car, and Given reached in with the revolver and fired a third shot, but missed. The gun got stuck in the headrest as Pete backed up and drove to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital, dragging Given for a short distance.
When Given was contacted by police he gave several different versions of the shooting, however. Yacovone told jurors police found the gun with three spent rounds, three live rounds still in the cylinder and Given’s DNA is also found on parts of the gun.
Zena said there was a confrontation at Pete’s car because when Pete went to the car he reached down as if he were reaching for a weapon. Zena said Given grabbed Pete’s arm and the gun went off, injuring Pete.
“There was a tussle over the gun at the door,” Zena said. “The shooting was going on, and it was mayhem.”
Zena also said Pete sought his client out, and that Pete was drunk when he confronted Given.
Jury selection began Monday afternoon before Judge Maureen Sweeney. Jurors were shown the crime scene Tuesday before they heard the opening statements.