Late last month, a 22-year-old Russian Mission man was convicted on attempted murder, robbery, assault, and misconduct involving weapons charges. He faces more than 100 years in prison.
Jalen Minock’s conviction stems from a violent series of events that took place in Russian Mission on July 28, 2021.
Minock and three other men confronted a group of people in Russian Mission in an apparent attempt to rob them. During that violent attack, at least one person was shot twice and someone from the group fired into a nearby home.
The prosecution didn’t have to prove Minock had fired the gun. His charges are due to accomplice liability. That makes an accomplice responsible to the same degree of guilt as the person who received his or her assistance. Assistant Attorney General Samuel Vandergaw, who prosecuted the case, explained this in his closing argument.
“In order for accomplice liability,” Vandergaw said. “Mr. Minock didn’t have to shoot anybody, but he had to support everyone else that did.”
Vandergaw leaned into that concept during his closing arguments. At some point during the fight, Minock struggled with one of the men who was being attacked over a shotgun.
“If he was fighting over this shotgun,” said Vandergaw, “he’s guilty of all of these crimes, with the exception of, maybe, count five.”
The prosecution had to prove that Minock was there during the confrontation in the woods. Most people couldn’t see who it was, but the prosecution said that the person who wrestled against the attacker over a shotgun initially identified Minock.
“On the trail is where things get fuzzy. It's dark. Anthony Pitka saw somebody in camouflage, wrestled him, saw it was the defendant face to face. He took that shotgun, and he took it with him, and he gave it to the troopers after this was all over. He was in the best position to see Jalen. He was also the one person that clearly doesn't want to participate with the investigation anymore.” Vandergaw said.
That eyewitness later said during the trial that he didn’t think it was Minock. And Minock’s defense leaned into that idea that Minock wasn’t actually there during the violent assault. In the end, the jury decided that he was and convicted him of 14 charges.
After the guilty verdict was announced, Minock went back to jail. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Sept. 15, 2023.
