Comment
Print
ROCHESTER - The trial of a Rochester man accused of shooting his neighbor six times, five while the victim was writhing on the ground, began on Wednesday with the jury's visit to where the incident occurred on Summer Street in Rochester.
Jason Levesque, 45, of 41 Summer St., Rochester, faces up to life imprisonment if convicted.
The trial then moved to Courtroom 1 at Strafford Superior Court in Dover where in opening arguments Assistant Strafford County Attorney Joachim H. Barth argued that Levesque's actions were nothing less than a cold-blooded attempted execution.
The scene unfolded the night of April 4 when neighbor Kyle Violette emerged from his residence and confronted Levesque while he plowed his driveway, saying he would "kill" Levesque and his family if he plowed snow on his driveway.
Barth than told the jury that Levesque produced a 9 mm pistol, which led to Violette turning away back toward his home. Barth than told the jury Levesque shot Violette in the jaw and he fell to the ground. Police said Levesque then shot Violette five more times, wounds that put him in the hospital for a month.
Defense attorney Mark Sisti in his opening statement countered that Levesque had a right to defend himself and his family after Violette threatened them.
When someone makes serious threats to you and your family you have a right to react in a serious way, Sisti argued.
The prosecution is expected to show six videos during trial showing the incident from different angles.
Police initially got involved around 10:20 p.m. on April 4 as they responded to the area of 41-43 Summer St. for a report of several gun shots fired and found a male victim, 38-year-old Kyle Violette, on the sidewalk with several gunshot wounds.
He was transported by Frisbie EMS to Frisbie Memorial Hospital and then transferred to Portsmouth Regional Hospital.
The trial is expected to last into next week.
All material on this site is copyright protected under penalty of federal law