Shooting trial postponed again

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A trial for a Columbus man was postponed again Monday after his attorney asked for more time to prepare for a trial.

William Devan Lassiter, 34, of Columbus, was previously scheduled to stand trial today in Delaware County Common Pleas Court and face a charge of aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony; a charge of felonious assault, a second-degree felony; and a charge of theft, a fifth-degree felony; but his attorney, Jermaine Colquitt, filed a motion Monday, asking Judge David Gormley to postpone the trial so he has more time tor review evidence and prepare for a trial.

In Colquitt’s motion, he states that he needs more time to go through the 242-page case file and review evidence that was only recently added to the case, such a cellphone records from the day the shooting happened.

Gormley delayed the trial Monday. A new trial date has not been set. Colquitt notes in his motion that no additional continuances will be allowed in the case.

Lassiter was previously scheduled to stand trial on May 24 and July 5 but, in both instances, the trial was delayed.

The charges stem from an incident on March 4. Delaware police report Lassiter was meeting with William Sims, 39, a local dog breeder, and had made arrangements to purchase a puppy. However, police said that when Lassiter arrived at Sims’ home for the meeting, the transaction went awry and Lassiter pulled out a gun and shot Sims in the leg.

After the shooting, police said Lassiter took Sims’ phone, some money and paperwork related to owning dogs, and left in a car, heading south.

Lassiter was later pulled over by police and arrested.

Prosecutors said Sims suffered a femur fracture as the result of the shooting. He has since been released from the hospital.

Lassiter was in the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Center in Orient Wednesday, serving time on six previous felony charges from 2007. He had been released from prison and was on parole when the March incident occurred.

The aggravated robbery and felonious assault charges both carry firearm specifications, indicating that a handgun was used to commit the offenses. Gormley said these specifications would add three years in prison to any sentence Lassiter would receive if he is convicted in the March 4 shooting.

Lassiter was indicted on March 11 and arraigned on March 15. He was released from the Delaware County Jail in March after posting bail.

Lassiter
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2016/08/web1_Lassiter.jpgLassiter Glenn Battishill | The Gazette

By Glenn Battishill

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Glenn Battishill can be reached at 740-413-0903 or on Twitter @BattishillDG.

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