Charles Marshall was returned to custody after a jury declared him guilty of felonious assault and aggravated robbery.
Jessica Orozco | The Lima News
LIMA — After 39 minutes of deliberation, jurors declared Charles Marshall guilty of aggravated robbery and felonious assault Friday morning.
Marshall, 24, will be convicted of complicity in the robbery and assault of 54-year-old Jay McMillen on May 14 with Aaron Henderson, also 24. He is also guilty of firearm specifications on both offenses. Henderson is accused of firing a gun next to McMillen’s ear before assaulting and robbing him.
Jurors came to a verdict after two days of witness testimony and presentation of evidence. They returned Friday morning for closing arguments and deliberation.
Although surveillance video and testimony demonstrated that Marshall did not himself lay a hand on McMillen, he was found guilty on the grounds of complicity.
Text messages from Marshall to Henderson show Marshall encouraging the other man to “lick” the victim — a slang term meaning to rob someone — and telling him that if he didn’t do it then he should pass the gun to Marshall who would.
The video also showed Marshall taking McMillen’s bag while Henderson assaulted him, and looking through it. He later dropped the bag on a street corner after he and Henderson fled the scene.
Jurors determined Assistant Prosecutors Josh Carp and Joseph Everhart demonstrated beyond a reasonable doubt that both the assault and the robbery occurred and that Marshall played a key role.
Henderson’s jury trial is scheduled to begin Nov. 29. Allen County Common Pleas Court Judge Jeffrey Reed ordered a pre-sentence investigation to be completed before Marshall returns to court for sentencing Nov. 3 at 8:30 a.m.
