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Home > Blogs > Dayton Courts: Legal and crime news > Archives > 2010 > August > 23 > Entry
Man accused of gunning down two guards goes to trial
DAYTON — The trial of a Dayton man accused of gunning down two apartment security guards last spring, killing one, started Monday, Aug. 23.
Assistant Montgomery County Prosecutor Michelle Grodner and defense attorney Doug Hess both told the jury that Christopher Beatty-Jones shot the guards. But where Grodner described an unprovoked attack by Beatty-Jones, Hess blamed the “improper management of the situation by the guards.”
Beatty-Jones, 21, is charged with murder, attempted murder, and four counts of felonious assault in the March 30 shootings at Western Manor Apartments on James H. McGee Boulevard. Each charge includes a firearm specification, which would add three years to any prison sentence.
He is accused of shooting two Moonlight Security guards: William St. Peter, who survived and is expected to testify, and James C. Locker, who died at Miami Valley Hospital on April 3, his 51st birthday. Beatty-Jones was arrested at 3933 Prescott Ave. seven hours after the shooting and has remained in the Montgomery County Jail.
Grodner described “two senseless acts of violence,” that started when the two guards noticed a pickup truck in the parking lot with the cab light on. They went to the truck and found Jodi Grigsby inside asleep. They asked her what she was doing, and she said she was waiting for her friend Chris to return, Grodner said.
Because the truck was not in her name, the guards became concerned that it might have been stolen and asked Dayton Police to come and back them up. But before they could, they encountered Beatty-Jones, who did not provide any information.
“He stated he didn’t remember his own birthday,” Grodner said.
When Locker went to pat him down, as he had a legal right to do, Beatty-Jones began struggling with the guards, Grodner said. Twice they tried to pepper spray him. But when St. Peter grabbed him, Beatty-Jones pulled out a gun and fired at least seven shots, Grodner said.
St. Peter’s vest stopped two bullets that struck his chest, but he was also struck in the arm and thumb. He never pulled his gun out. Locker did pull his gun, but it was struck by a bullet rendering it inoperable. Locker was struck in the body and the side, Grodner said.
Hess said the truck belong to Grigsby, though it was in her son’s name. He said there was no evidence of any crime up to the shootings.
Hess said that Grigsby and Beatty-Jones placed an order at a pizza place, then went to the apartment to drop off a phone card for Beatty-Jones’ friend.
When Beatty-Jones returned to the truck, the guards grabbed him from behind, threw him up against the truck, then started going through his pockets, Hess said. They did not identify themselves as security, Hess said.
Beatty-Jones, who knew he was in a high crime area, started shooting after he was pepper-sprayed in the face and blinded, Hess said. The defense will ask the jury to consider lesser offenses and a self-defense claim, Hess said.
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