Wells found guilty of Manslaughter in 2010 killing of 81 year-old woman in Fredonia...
The jury hearing the Jason Wells murder trial has found Wells guilty of first-degree manslaughter in the brutal killing of an elderly Fredonia woman. After a second day of deliberations... the jury of six men and six women found Wells guilty on the manslaughter charge... not second-degree murder... in the death of 81-year-old Ruth Fisk. Chautauqua County District Attorney David Foley says the jury believed that Wells had an extreme emotional disturbance at the time of the crime. Foley says the jury found he was responsible for... and, intended to take the actions he did in the attack. That's unlike finding that he did it due to "mental disease or defect." Wells was accused of fatally beating, stabbing and strangling Fisk inside One Temple Square in Fredonia in February 2010. Foley says the jury had a difficult time with the case because of Well's alleged mental state. In fact... he says the jury wanted to hear -- at least three times -- the definition of "extreme emotional disturbance." County Court Judge John Ward has given the defense attorney two weeks to bring forth any motions before setting a sentencing date.
City man arrested for allegedly being in possession of 400-plus packs of Untaxed Cigarettes...
A Jamestown man has been arrested for allegedly being found in possession of a few hundred packs of untaxed cigarettes... and, an illegal weapon. City police say they raided an upper apartment at 275 South Main Street as part of an ongoing investigation into the illegal sale of untaxed cigarettes. JPD Captain Bob Samuelson says 33 year-old James Chapman is a repeat offender. He was allegedly found with a large number of untaxed cigarettes several months ago... and, he's accused of being in possession of more than 400 packs of the smokes... and, an illegal "throwing star" this time around. Chapman was arrested on a state charge of selling illegal cigarettes... and, a local charge of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He was arraigned... and, sent to the county jail where he posted $5,000 bail.
