Pensacola man accused of gunning down his stepson during an argument begins trial
A woman testified Thursday that she let her down-on-his-luck ex-husband move back into her home because her son wanted to help him.
Now, her ex-husband is on trial for killing her son.
Opening statements began Thursday morning in the trial of James Blackmon, who is facing a second-degree murder charge in the death of his stepson, 38-year-old Christopher Roan. The prosecution is also trying to prove Blackmon attempted to commit first-degree murder by attempting to kill Roan's girlfriend, Samantha Noble.
Background: Pensacola man accused of shooting and killing his stepson stands trial this week
His arrest: Pensacola man accused of killing stepson and attempting to kill stepson's girlfriend
The incident took place Dec. 18, 2020, at a Packwood Drive residence after Blackmon and Roan began arguing about the frequent disputes between Roan and Noble, according to the 2020 arrest report.
Blackmon allegedly pointed a gun at Roan during the fight and "(pulled) the damn trigger and (unloaded)" on Roan, according to Blackmon's ex-wife Linda Blackmon.
After the killing, Linda Blackmon said that James Blackmon threatened to kill Noble, which caused the woman to run away from the house in fear and hide in a camper.
Assistant State Attorney Matthew Gordon outlined his case to the jury Thursday morning.
"You will learn that the defendant unilaterally started the confrontation with Christopher Roan," Gordon told the jury, "and you will learn that the defendant used two different firearms during the fatal chain of events."
Blackmon's defense attorney, Clinton Couch, told presiding Judge John Simon before the jury entered that he did not wish to give an opening statement, but he did ask to reserve time to do so.
While on the stand, Linda Blackmon said she and James Blackmon divorced roughly 20 years ago, but he was living in her house at the time of the killing because of a recent motorcycle crash.
"He was in a bad motorcycle wreck and broke both his hips and, I think, fractured his pelvic bone," Linda Blackmon testified. "He was living by himself in a camper by the river and my son (Roan) said, 'Mom, you've got to let him come home. He has no one to take care of him.'"
At the time of Blackmon's arrest, investigators wrote that Blackmon said he armed himself and attempted to "pistol whip" Roan during their altercation, but Roan knocked the gun out of his hand. Blackmon said he then retrieved another firearm from a bedroom and, after Roan pointed a gun at him, shot Roan multiple times.
Roan suffered multiple gunshots to the head and torso, according to Blackmon's arrest report.
Afterward, Blackmon allegedly turned his attention Noble, who ran to a nearby camper and hid. Blackmon reportedly followed her outside and shot the camper numerous times. Noble was not injured.
The defense plans to begin its case Friday and will argue to the jury that Blackmon was acting in self defense — which Couch explained to Simon prior to the jury entering the court room.
According to the court schedule, Blackmon's trial is scheduled to end Friday with the jury possibly reaching a verdict Friday afternoon.
Benjamin Johnson can be reached at bjohnson@pnj.com or 850-435-8578
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola man James Blackmon's murder trial begins in fatal shooting
