Jurors convicted a man of fatally shooting another man last year following a confrontation at a south Minneapolis gas station.
Jurors convict shooter in fatal Minneapolis gas station fight
November 5, 2019 at 2:55AM
Rodney D. Jackson, 28, who has no permanent address, was convicted Friday of second-degree murder with intent for the killing of 18-year-old Mohamed Abdi. Jurors acquitted Jackson of first-degree premeditated murder.
"We are pleased with the jury's verdict," Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said in a written statement. "Mr. Jackson put up a bogus self-defense justification and the jury saw through that. We will argue strongly for a long sentence."
Jackson is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 26. Freeman said prosecutors plan to ask for a 30-year prison term.
Jackson's girlfriend, Derionna Leake, pleaded guilty to second-degree riot for her role in the crime and is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 13. She originally also faced one count each of aiding and abetting first-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree murder.
According to the criminal complaint: Jackson and Leake pulled up to a pump at the Speedway gas station at 2445 Bloomington Av. on Nov. 6, 2018. They went into the store. When they returned, Jackson's SUV was blocked by two other vehicles.
Jackson and Leake yelled at Abdi, who was parked in front of them. Leake threw a jar of Vaseline at Abdi.
When the car behind him left, Jackson was able to drive away and park his vehicle across the street.
A witness account and surveillance video showed that Abdi threw rocks across the street at Jackson's vehicle.
Jackson pointed a gun out the window and fired one shot that struck Abdi in the head about 12:50 p.m. Abdi died about 10:47 p.m. at Hennepin County Medical Center.
CHAO XIONG
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