Jurors deliberate in Edmonds trial

YOUNGSTOWN — A jury could decide today whether 31-year-old Terrance Edmonds shot his girlfriend in the head out of self-defense.

Jurors received the attempted murder case just before 11 a.m. in the Common Pleas courtroom of Judge R. Scott Krichbaum.

Edmonds’ defense attorney Robert Rohrbaugh presented one final witness Wednesday morning, before attorneys launched closing arguments.

Edmonds, who rejected two plea deals offering him at most 11 years in prison, is accused of firing the shot that left his girlfriend, 32-year-old Denise Thurston, in a vegetative state on July 21.

During a full day of testimony Tuesday, Edmonds testified Thurston had previously fired several shots at his East Hilton Avenue home while enraged with Edmonds over claims of infidelity. Edmonds claimed he saw Thurston attempt to brandish what he believed was a firearm before he shot her once in the head.

Jurors are considering felony charges of attempted murder, felonious assault, domestic violence and illegal possession of a firearm. Judge Krichbaum decided Tuesday to instruct jurors to consider if Edmonds’ self defense argument justified the shooting.