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Caroline jury finds Peck not guilty
Date published: 7/23/2009
BY PORTSIA SMITH
A jury of nine women and three men decided last night that John Wayne Peck was not guilty of murder in the 2006 fatal shooting death of a hunting buddy in Caroline County. The jury began deliberations about 6 p.m. and reached its verdict after 10. Earlier the jurors heard Peck, 29, give an emotional account of what happened the night of Oct. 9, 2006. Peck said that after a day of dove hunting and drinking liquor with some friends, he gave 61-year-old Jerry Curtis Beverly a ride home because Beverly had been drinking. When they arrived at Beverly's home on Rozell Road in Woodford, Peck said that Beverly got out of the truck and slid his rifle onto the passenger seat, Then he said Beverly reached in the truck toward Peck's .44-caliber Magnum revolver that was lying in the console. Peck said he brushed Beverly's hand away after he said something about shooting toes off. He said Beverly reached in for the gun again and he had to push him away again. Peck said he was attempting to place the pistol in the back seat, out of Beverly's view, when he noticed the gun was cocked. "I didn't cock the gun," he said. "It's never cocked." He then explained that he had to pull the trigger back to uncock the gun. He said the hammer slipped from underneath his thumb and went off. He said he cursed. Then he heard Beverly say "You shot me." "No, I didn't," Peck said he said. "You did," he said that Beverly replied, then instructed him to call the "sheriff or someone." Peck said, "I didn't shoot you." Then Beverly showed him the blood before falling back with his hands in the air, Peck testified. Peck, who is on medication for panic attacks, was sobbing during much of his testimony. "I did not mean for this to happen. I considered Jerry a friend and I'm sorry, I'm sorry to his family. I never had a cross word with this man," Peck said. Beverly's ex-wife Phyllis left the courtroom. Later, she said she had been angry at Peck's continuous tears. "Nobody knows what it's like to see somebody dead," a tearful Peck said. "I panicked. I know it's not going to bring Jerry back, but I'm sorry."
Be that as it may...People who shoot a person and the person dies, still goes to jail until trial date. He didn't spend one night in jail.
Lets all take a moment to thank Tony Lippa for placing a charge that didn't stick.
Just gotta prove it !! Jerry was a hunter, not a killer. Knowledge, respect for firearms,and the hunt he shared with many.My condolences to the Beverly family .Feel pitty for the name Peck for they will all reap for what he has sown. End of story. Not for many years. So sad.
..That the jury had some type of "manslaughter" instruction as a lesser included offense. The story doesn't say, but that's common. Either way, this seems like it would have been a tough case for the prosecution to win from the start. My condolences to the Beverly family - the other comments are right; there will never be an "end" of the story for them.
To Little Miss Moma Bear... don't waste your time worrying about his children or how many. If it makes you feel better... 2 of is children will be taught what morals and values are... and lets hope the same for yours. What a child doesn't learn... they don't know!
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