Trooper-Shooter Attempted Murder Case Goes to Broome County Jury
The Broome County jury in the Attempted Murder case of a Colesville man and Evidence Tampering case of his father is deliberating after over a week of testimony.
Jason Johnson is on trial for allegedly shooting a wounding a New York State Trooper while his father, David Johnson is accused of tampering with evidence days after the shooting incident.
Jury selection in the case began on August 2 and the panel has been hearing from witnesses for over a week, including from the New York State Trooper who was shot in the hip on June 9, 2021. Trooper Becky Seager was among officers responding to check on a suspicious person who had been reported seen drawing in the middle of the road.
Jason Johnson was apprehended following a manhunt that lasted over 20 hours while Trooper Seager says she continues to suffer from the aftermath of the shooting.
David Johnson was said to have been out of town at the time of the shooting but later allegedly was at a cabin used by his son and rearraigned evidence including clothing and possible shell casings, prompting his arrest a month after the shooting on charges of evidence tampering.
Court-watchers say much of the arguments are centered around intent, whether the younger Johnson intended to harm or kill law enforcement officials and whether there was intent on the part of the father to conceal evidence in the case.
The closing arguments in the joint trial were presented on August 11 with deliberations beginning shortly thereafter. The deliberations were expected to continue on Friday, August 12.
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