Jury trial begins in Guffey murder case

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Tuesday, 20 August 2024 19:11

Day One – 8/20/24

Day one of the murder trial of James Keith Guffey has concluded. Today’s testimony included that of Jackson County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Eric Woodall. Woodall testified that he obtained a search warrant for the home of Guffey and for bodily fluids at approximately 6:05 a.m. the morning after the incident. Several crime scene photos were admitted into evidence during Woodall’s testimony.

During cross examination by Defense Attorney Gary Lackey, Woodall explained that he did not collect alcohol bottles from the scene. Woodall stated that the defendant admitted alcohol was involved, and due to the victim being deceased, and Woodall obtaining a search warrant, both the victim’s and defendant’s alcohol level would be obtained. Woodall reiterated that a thorough investigation was done by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.

Michael Weaver with the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences testified that the victim’s blood alcohol level was 0.188, and the defendant’s was blood alcohol level was 0.015.

Brandon Vess, a former firearms expert with the Alabama Department of Forensic Science, testified that the shell casings and bullets obtained from the scene matched the firearm obtained from the scene. Vess identified a Palmetto Arms .308 AR style semi-automatic rifle used to commit the alleged crime.

Testimony will resume tomorrow.

Day Two – 8/21/24

Day two of the murder trial of James Keith Guffey is underway. The morning began with the State resting their case.

Prior to the defense beginning their case, Attorney Gary Lackey made an oral motion to dismiss. The motion was denied.

The defense began with expert witness Todd Crosby. Crosby is a 32-year law enforcement veteran who currently owns and runs a consulting training firm. Crosby testified that he did experiments with the weapon used in the alleged crime, and that according to those experiments, the victim could not have been holding the weapon when it was fired. Crosby then testified that the incident was most likely an accident.

Next the Defendant, a 31-year-old father of two, took the stand. Guffey testified that at the time of the incident he worked at Scottsboro Aluminum Industries and the victim was a stay-at-home mom. Guffey stated, “I lost everything because of this” after reiterating that he lost his job, custody of his children and home as a result. When describing the events leading up to this tragedy, Guffey stated that it was his last off day. He said that he and his wife played outside with the kids until close to dark, had dinner and began drinking between 5:30 and 6 p.m. Guffey stated several times that the victim was a daily drinker. During his testimony, Guffey also stated that the victim had previously attempted to harm herself several years earlier.

During cross examination Guffey testified that there were four firearms in the home, one of which he had hidden under the mattress earlier in the evening when the victim had mentioned suicide. However, the other three firearms remained in the gun rack and gun cabinet. Guffey stated the night of the incident the two had been drinking whiskey and mixed drinks. He stated he believed they were drinking the same amount, but said, “I didn’t babysit her.” Guffey stated that the gun that shot the victim was kept loaded and chambered, however he was unsure if the safety was on. Guffey then described the incident by saying that he went into the bedroom, saw the victim leaning on the side of the bed holding the rifle, siting, “It looks like she is trying to get the safety off and the gun in her mouth.” Guffey said that he grabbed the stock of the gun, and the two played what was described as tug-of-war with the weapon. Guffey stated he yelled out “stop,” and that as he pulled as hard as he could, the gun fired. Guffey stated he “made the gun safe, laid it on the bed and called 911.”

Closing arguments will be held this afternoon in Judge Brent Benson’s courtroom.

3:30 p.m. update:

Closing arguments have concluded in the murder trial of James Keith Guffey.

Assistant District Attorney Krystina Jackson began by stating this is not the first or the last time she’ll tell a story like Rose’s. Jackson stated that the dream is to get married, have children, the house and a man who loves you. “What they don’t tell you is that you’re going to die. What they don’t tell you is that after they kill you, they won’t care to paint you as a terrible person.” Jackson then went over the Alabama State Code and its elements in regards to murder, manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide. Jackson explained that intoxication is not a defense. She explained that the defendant was able to communicate properly to 911. He stated she was dead saying, “ma’am she’s gone.” “Take care of the kids.” “Police are on the way.”

During the defense’s closing, Attorney Gary Lackey stated that the blood spatter evidence destroys the state’s case. He also discussed the issue of the immediate arrest of the defendant. Lackey stated that the victim’s blood alcohol level was more than double the legal limit. Lackey then portrayed a photo of the victim’s skull cherry tattoo and questioned why the state left that out of the photos.

During rebuttal, Jackson County District Attorney Jason Pierce stated he was not apologetic for prosecuting defendants who shoot their wives in the head. Pierce stated that the tattoo on the victim’s leg has nothing to do with why she is dead.

Pierce then addressed Lackey’s criticism of the investigation. Pierce stated, “Crosby was more than qualified to criticize the investigation, but he didn’t. Who drank out of a cup didn’t matter. The defendant said that Rose didn’t use the gun, so why fingerprint the casing? The defendant’s entire case is about criticizing the victim.”

Pierce stated that during an ordinary 911 call you can hear panic, apologies and words like accident. During the 911 call presented into evidence the defendant with slurred speech states, “I need help,” “we got into an argument,” “I think I killed my wife,” “we were having an argument and she held it to her face,” “I laid it in the bed as soon as it happened,” “I know it’s my fault,” and “make sure my kids get to spend their lives with their family.”

Pierce reiterated that a person who has just been involved in a shooting accident doesn’t make the gun safe and lay it on the bed. He also mentioned that the victim had no stippling or gun powder residue in her as she would had she been attempting suicide. “There’s no way he grabbed the stock to take it from her. Listen to his voice in the 911 call and his choice of words. Why was the gun out with the safety off and a live round in the chamber pointed at her face? Losing things is what happens when you shoot your wife in the head. Sympathy has no role in this. Tell them and the community that this is not okay.”

Following closing arguments, Judge Brent Benson gave jury instructions and relieved the alternate jurors, one man and one woman, from their duties, leaving one female juror and eleven male jurors to deliberate.

Deliberations began at approximately 2:56 p.m.

7:00 p.m. update

A verdict has been announced in the trial of James Keith Guffey. Jurors re-entered the courtroom at 6:47 p.m. tonight.
It was announced that the jury found James Keith Guffey guilty of manslaughter in the shooting death of Rose Labelle Guffey.

Manslaughter is a Class B felony in Alabama, which can carry a sentence of up to $30,000 and between two and 20 years of imprisonment. If a firearm was involved, the imprisonment term cannot be less than 10 years.

Guffey’s sentencing will be held October 2nd at 1:30 p.m.