Akron man claims self-defense in shooting death of his landlord

When Eric Pursley’s landlord showed up at his apartment in October 2022 to deliver an eviction notice, the two of them got into an argument in the entrance of his small home.

Pursley, who was backed against a wall, says he warned the much taller Daniel Stein to back off.

“You are making me uncomfortable,” Pursley told him, but he said Stein got angrier.

Pursley told Stein he had a gun, warned him again, then shot Stein once.

Pursley then immediately called 911 and said he had shot Stein in self-defense.

That’s the account Pat Summers, Stein’s attorney, gave of the altercation between Stein and Pursley during his opening statement Wednesday in Pursley’s murder trial in Summit County Common Pleas Court.

A jury will have to decide if they think Pursley acted in self-defense or is guilty of murder.

In 2021, Ohio passed a Stand Your Ground law that basically removed the duty for a person to retreat before resorting to self-defense. Because courts were basically closed during the pandemic, this new self-defense law hasn’t yet been tested much in Summit or other Ohio counties.

Pursley, 23, is charged with two counts each of murder and felonious assault, all with gun specifications that carry with them additional prison time. The dual charges involve different theories of the crime.

Pursley’s trial in Judge Joy Malek Oldfield’s courtroom is expected to wrap up Thursday.

Prosecutor urges jurors to focus on evidence in the case

The shooting happened about 1 p.m. Oct 5 at an apartment in the 600 block of Sumner Street.

More: Akron man arrested in shooting death of California man in University Park neighborhood

Assistant Prosecutor Elliot Kolkovich said in his opening statement that Stein, 58, who is from California, owned the Sumner Street home that had been turned into four apartments where Pursley lived. He said Pursley was behind on his rent and Stein went to the apartment to give him a three-day eviction notice.

Kolkovich said Pursley called 911 at 1:01 p.m. to report that he had shot Stein in self-defense.

Kolkovich, though, urged jurors to focus on the evidence in the case. He said Pursley shot Stein in the right side of the head and he landed slumped against the door, with the eviction notice underneath his foot.

Kolkovich said there were no marks on Pursley that would show he was injured.

“I want you to look at the physical evidence and ask what it tells happened that day,” he said.

Pursley was in a dispute with his landlord, attorney says

Summers said Pursley and other tenants in the apartment building had complained about the building’s conditions. He said they were concerned about mice, drugs being found and break-ins.

Summers said Stein would come to collect rent, but the tenants otherwise rarely saw him. He said Pursley paid back rent he owed in August but then told Stein he wasn’t going to pay anymore until the problems with the apartment were addressed.

When Stein showed up on the day of the shooting, Summers said, Pursley’s fiancée and a young child were in the apartment. He said Pursley shot Stein out of fear for them and himself.

Summers said Pursley put down the gun, called 911, told them what happened, and had his hands in the air when officers arrived.

“He doesn’t flee,” Summers said. “He doesn’t hide -- anything.”

Summers asked jurors to pay attention to the small quarters of the apartment and to the difference in size between Pursley and Stein.

“When you hear the evidence, you will come to the conclusion that he acted to protect himself and his family for what he perceived was a real threat,” he said.

Officers describe response to shooting scene

The first officers to arrive at the scene found Stein unresponsive and Pursley with his hands in the air and the gun on the ground beside him.

Officer Derek Jackson testified that he handcuffed Pursley and took him to a bedroom.

Summers asked Jackson about the cramped space where Stein’s body was found. He asked if you could fit two people there.

“It would be tight,” Jackson said.

Officer Jerry Sosenko performed CPR on Stein until paramedics arrived.

Prosecutors played the officers’ body-worn camera videos of their response to the shooting.

Several of Stein’s family members who are sitting in on the trial wept and comforted each other as they watched the videos.

Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com, 330-996-3705 and on Twitter: @swarsmithabj.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Eric Pursley goes on trial in Summit court for landlord's shooting