Drugs and sex are part of case against Phillips in murder trial
Jeffrey Phillips needed a fix, and an Alliance retired firefighter was a romantic rival and a means to an end.
That is the crux of the state of Ohio’s case against 43-year-old Phillips, who faces the death penalty for the murder of James Leeson.
Case in a Nutshell
During opening statements, Assistant Prosecutor Chryssa Hartlett said James Leeson’s life was worth “less than a couple hundred bucks worth of crack.” She reminded jurors that Phillips, who was a “tough guy known as Fat Boy with a lot less polish” back on March 10, knew of the sexual nature of his intended wife Tammi Goodwin’s relationship with Leeson. In exchange for a hot shower and Vicodin, Goodwin periodically would provide Leeson, a single man with a healthy libido, with oral sex, Hartlett added.
Phillips, also known as “Fat Boy,” is charged with aggravated murder, burglary, robbery, arson and tampering with evidence after allegedly going to Leeson’s home around 10:30 p.m. March 10 in search of cash. When Leeson wouldn’t give the money up, Hartlett said Phillips allegedly severely beat, strangled and stabbed Leeson with a sword before pouring bleach on Jim’s midsection and groin area to destroy any possible DNA evidence.
After rifling through Leeson’s bedroom, Phillips then allegedly poured ammonia on items in there to destroy evidence, before fleeing in Leeson’s convertible with two flat-screen televisions in the trunk.
Defense attorney Derek Lowry explained there is no evidence placing Phillips at the home of Leeson and accused prosecutors of “attempting to toss a bunch of stuff against the wall and see if something sticks.” He also explained that Phillips would have no reason to pour bleach on the genitals of the victim, who enjoyed the company of women.
The lack of any evidence to any of these crimes will become abundantly clear and result in a not guilty verdict, Lowry said.
Discovery of a Crime
Stark County Deputy Michael Lowry was the first witness, explaining how he responded to the scene of Leeson’s fully engulfed car in Lexington Township. After Leeson’s neighbor David Kline, who also testified, let Lowry in the house with a spare key, the two men discovered Leeson dead in a utility room in his basement and called Alliance police.
Both Tyler Sinkovitz and David Slusser, who had seen Leeson in his final hours, were called as witnesses. Sinkovitz had stopped by Leeson’s home and enjoyed a beer and cigarette in the basement recreation room just before 3 p.m. Later that night, Slusser, a longtime friend of Leeson’s, met him at the Elks Lodge, where they enjoyed a game of pool and left around 11 p.m.
“I never saw (Jim) again after that night,” Slusser said, adding he learned about Leeson’s death after the discovery of his body.
Two neighbors, Kline and Jennifer Hall, would testify that they were disturbed by a loud noise between 11 and 11:30 p.m. Hall said she was watching the 11 p.m. news, when she heard a door slam and ran to the window.
Kline said, “I jumped up, startled, and ran to my back door because I was afraid someone was breaking in my house. It sounded like a storm door caught in the wind.”
Hall, who lived next door to Leeson, explained she saw Leeson’s Chrysler Sebring Convertible at the end of his driveway, then headed west toward Liberty at a high rate of speed, which was very unlike Leeson.
Brian Peterson from the state Fire Marshal’s Office told jurors that his investigation revealed gasoline had been poured on the front passenger seat floorboard and in the trunk of Leeson’s vehicle before it had been set on fire.
Murder Investigation Begins
The bulk of Monday’s testimony was given by Alliance police Detective Jim Jones, who said a deceased James Leeson was discovered clad only in a T-shirt, socks and a bathrobe. With significant physical injuries, it was obvious that Leeson hadn’t died of natural causes and both the Stark County coroner and crime lab were notified.
A Knights of Columbus commemorative sword, which was used to stab Leeson, was found lying on a nearby ironing board, according to Jones. His bedroom had been ransacked, and two flat-screen televisions had been removed. While searching the scene, city police found some photographs at the Leeson house and recognized Goodwin.
After speaking to Slusser, who confirmed Leeson had a relationship with Goodwin, Alliance detectives returned to Leeson’s brick bungalow to do an additional sweep for evidence and found the two TV boxes with serial numbers in the basement. A message also was found on Leeson’s answering machine with a 3 p.m. March 11 time stamp from Goodwin.
A prescription bottle for generic Vicodin, which had been filled on March 10, was missing 10 of the 30 tablets when discovered by police on March 12, Jones testified.
The next morning, Jones said Alliance police executed a search warrant at 11414 Pettit Ave., where Phillips and Goodwin resided with Goodwin’s sister and husband. Among the items taken from the residence were a pair of Phillips’ boots as well as a brown bag of letters exchanged between Phillips and Goodwin, as well as a letter from Phillips to another male. Investigators also subpoenaed cell phone records for Phillips, Goodwin’s sister Billie Jo Orzo and Leeson.
In his cross-examination of Jones, defense attorney Anthony Koukoutas inquired of two handguns discovered in the Leeson home after the murder and if there were signs of forced entry into the residence. Jones acknowledged finding two handguns each with ammunition nearby — one in the bedroom and another atop kitchen cabinets. Investigators found no signs of forced entry.
Jones confirmed that there was no physical evidence at the scene linking Phillips to Leeson’s murder.
During interrogation by city police, Phillips told investigators that Goodwin was his “soul mate” and he would “always love her,” according to Jones. However, Phillips denied ever leaving his home between Leeson’s death and the discovery of the burned up car as well as any part in the crime. “Very few people have actually ever confessed to murder,” Jones concluded during redirect by Assistant Prosecutor Dennis Barr.
Area pawn shops were notified about the televisions, and Alliance Loan reported back to police that the girlfriend of Philips’ alleged drug dealer, Waylon Hillman, who had allegedly traded Phillips between $150 and 200 worth of crack for the electronics, had pawned one of the televisions in her name on March 17. Hillman shortly after was picked up for driving under suspension and admitted to receiving the televisions, although he testified Monday afternoon that he was unaware of the source.
Hillman testified after the deal was struck, his then-girlfriend, Kristen Carli, followed Phillips, who was driving Leeson’s convertible, to the Lexington Township site and dropped him off after he disposed of the car. Hillman said he then sent Carli to pawn one of the televisions at Alliance Loan, which store manager Dawn Dennis confirmed during her testimony for the prosecution. After all, Hillman explained that he needed money to refill his drug inventory so he could make his sales, since that was his sole source of income.
The prosecution continues to present its case to jurors at 8:30 a.m. today.
http://www.the-review.com/news/article/4919282
Bookmarks