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Home > Blogs > Dayton Courts: Legal and crime news > Archives > 2010 > August > 24
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Gunshot victim testifies about Western Manor shootings
DAYTON - William St. Peter was struggling with the stranger when he heard several muffled shots, smelled gunpowder and felt pain in his chest and right arm.
He’d been shot. But the Moonlight Security guard testified that he didn’t know Christopher Beatty-Jones had a gun until he heard the shots - and by then, the gunshot would to his arm prevented him from getting to his weapon, holstered at his right side, St. Peter testified Tuesday, Aug. 24.
“Never had a chance,” St. Peter said.
St. Peter testified in the trial of Christopher Beatty-Jones, who is accused of gunning down William St. Peter and James C. Locker. The two guards were working March 30 at Western Manor Apartments on James H. McGee.
Locker, whom St. Peter described as “my lieutenant,” who died at Miami Valley Hospital on April 3, Locker’s 51st birthday.
Beatty-Jones, 21, is charged with murder, attempted murder, and four counts of felonious assault. His trial started Monday and is expected to continue through the week.
Assistant Montgomery County Prosecutor Michelle Grodner and defense attorney Doug Hess both told the jury on Monday 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.”
The two guards noticed a pickup truck with lights on and decided to investigate. They found a woman, later identified as Jodi Grigsby, in the passenger seat with her eyes closed. Locker knocked on the truck and shined his flashlight inside, St. Peter said.
As Locker, at the passenger side window, continued to ask Grigsby questions, St. Peter moved toward an apartment building to wait for “Chris,” the friend Grigsby was waiting for. When the man arrived, the guards told him to come to the truck and St. Peter walked behind him.
Beatty-Jones identified himself as Chris Jones and said he didn’t remember his birthday, so the guards knew “something’s up,” St. Peter said. Locker patted him down and asked him to empty his pockets. Beatty-Jones took out keys, a cellular phone, and a condom, but then attempted to push away from the truck, even as Locker continued the pat down, St. Peter said.
As they struggled with Beatty-Jones, St. Peter pepper sprayed him twice. Then he heard the gunshots, which he said seemed muffled because he was so close to the gun, St. Peter said.
His Kevlar vest stopped two bullets to the chest, but Beatty-Jones also shot St. Peter in the right arm, which still has a bullet in it, and shot off the top of his thumb, St. Peter said.
After he was shot, he saw Beatty-Jones running away. He then went to Locker, who was on the ground and told him he’d also been shot, St. Peter said.
The guards had already contacted Dayton police for backup before the shootings. As random people approached the wounded guards, St. Peter became fearful. Using his left hand, he picked up Locker’s gun and warned them to stay back.
On Monday, Grodner told the jury that Locker’s gun had been struck by a bullet and rendered inoperable.
St. Peter said he identified Beatty-Jones as the shooter during a photo spread later that morning.
Beatty-Jones was arrested at 3933 Prescott Ave. seven hours after the shooting and has remained in the Montgomery County Jail.
St. Peter said he has not been able to return to work. He said he has flashbacks, troubling dreams and is seeking psychological help.
Hess said Monday 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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