MANSFIELD — Austin Jones was found guilty of murder and attempted murder, according to a Richland County jury on Thursday afternoon.
After a three-and-a-half-hour deliberation, the five-man, seven-woman panel convicted Jones of murder in the death of Cedric Daniels and attempted murder in the shooting of Brianna Daniels.
The trial lasted four days and included several witnesses, including a DNA analyst, a ballistics expert from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, first responders, detectives, a medical examiner and numerous eyewitnesses. Some of those eyewitnesses, including Cedric Daniels’ relatives, were present when Judge James DeWeese read the verdicts. Emotions erupted outside the court room.
Defense attorney Ralph Bove shook his head in disbelief as the judge read the jury’s decision.
Jones will be sentenced on Monday at 1 p.m. In addition to murder and attempted murder, felonious assault and having a weapon under disability. Richland County Prosecutor Bambi Couch Page said she is content with the verdicts, adding Jones could face 43 years to life in prison.
“We are not ready to make a recommendation as to how long he should spend (in prison),” Page said minutes after the verdict reading. “However, he did have a prior gun offense that we will take into consideration. And he was the suspect of other crimes in this county.”
She said the investigations of the other crimes have been sealed by her office until a verdict for this case was reached.
“We were waiting to present those findings until after this case,” she said.
Bove declined to comment on the verdict.
