DE) Jury rules self-defense in slaying 04-17-03

Jury acquits man claiming self-defense
Parson shot Wilmington neighbor to death By ESTEBAN PARRA
Staff reporter
04/17/2003
http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/local/2003/04/17juryacquitsmanc.html

A 36-year-old Wilmington man who claimed self-defense in the shooting
death of his downstairs neighbor last spring was acquitted Wednesday of
murder and all related charges.

Vincent W. Parson hugged both of his attorneys after a New Castle County
Superior Court jury read its verdict on charges of first- degree murder,
first-degree attempted murder and two weapons counts.

He then was escorted away as spectators grew rowdy, some storming out of
the sixth-floor courtroom.

“We’re very happy for him,” Parson’s lead defense attorney, Kathryn van
Amerongen, said. “The right thing happened.”

Prosecutors had no comment on the jury’s decision. Parson, who testified
Monday, said he fatally shot Robert Jackson and injured Jackson’s
live-in girlfriend, Kendra Curtis on June 4 as the couple lunged at him.
He said he was afraid of the two and considered them “very dangerous.”

Lisa A. Minutola, Parson’s assistant defense attorney, said she thought
her client’s testimony helped strengthen his claims. “With it being a
self-defense case, we really felt the jury had to hear his version,”
Minutola said. “The jury was able to get his perspective of what
occurred that day and the threat that he felt at the time.”
Parson and his downstairs neighbors started having disagreements shortly
after the pair moved into the three-story apartment on the 800 block of
West Ninth Street.

Prosecutors said Parson shot his neighbors out of frustration over the
ongoing problems, which included loud noises and the way the pair’s
friends would sit and block the front steps of the building entrance. He
also complained about the way they parked their vehicles, and testified
in court that the couple went through his mail.

Parson said he armed himself after the couple threatened to physically
hurt him and he did not fire the gun until Curtis – with her arm pulled
back – lunged at him and Jackson prepared to take a swing. The couple
were arguing with Parson after the landlord, to whom he had complained,
told them too many people were living in their apartment.

Friends and family members of Jackson and Curtis declined to comment
Wednesday.

Parson was taken back to the Delaware Correctional Center near Smyrna,
where he has been held since June. Delaware Department of Corrections
spokeswoman Beth Welch said Parson remained at the prison Wednesday
because court documents officially releasing him had not arrived.

Van Amerongen said she did not know what Parson’s plans were after he is
released. “He’s looking forward to putting the pieces of his life back
together,” she said.