Jury seated for gun trial
Nov. 15—A jury was seated Monday for trial this week in the case of Marcus N. Respress, who is facing a firearms charge following an April 8, 2021, shooting outside of the Neshannock Village apartments.
Darius Ramsey, 22, died from injuries he suffered during a gunfire exchange between him and Respress. The police determined the shooting was in self-defense after Ramsey initiated the gunfire at Respress and Respress returned fire, according to a police criminal complaint.
Respress, 51, who was living at Neshannock Village at the time, was not charged in Ramsey's death, but is facing gun-related charges as a result.
He is standing trial this week for charges against him of prohibited possession of a firearm and carrying a firearm without a license. He is in the Lawrence County jail on a $100,000 bond.
Opening statements were to be presented Tuesday morning in the courtroom of Common Pleas Judge J. Craig Cox.
Lawrence County Assistant District Attorney William Flannery is prosecuting the case. Respress is being defended by assistant Public Defender Dennis Elisco.
The charges stem from Respress' felonious history and not being allowed to carry a gun, and because he didn't have a license to carry a gun, according to a criminal complaint filed against Respress after the shooting.
The complaint noted that he had been convicted on a felony drug charge in Lexington, Oklahoma, in 2005, and is not allowed to possess a gun in Pennsylvania.
Lawrence County District Attorney Joshua Lamancusa said he also determined Ramsey's death resulted from an act of self-defense. Authorities determined that from examining surveillance video of the Lawrence County Housing Authority, which owns the Neshannock Village apartments.
According to the criminal complaint, Ramsey was speeding through Neshannock Village while Respress took a gun out of his pocket, but kept it pointed at the ground as he was walking. Ramsey fired at Respress, who shot back four times into the vehicle.
Ramsey then tried to flee in his vehicle but crashed into a light pole. He was taken in another vehicle to the hospital, where he died of a gunshot wound to his chest, the paperwork states. Respress was not injured in the shooting.
