Day two of the murder trial of a Jamestown man accused of fatally shooting his half-brother during an altercation at a residence on Fox Lane over three years ago got underway yesterday.
Yesterday’s proceedings in the Commonwealth of Kentucky vs Lee Maynard brought a marathon of witness testimony, with jurors hearing from 10 different witnesses called by the prosecution over the course of about six hours.
Jurors heard from a number of people over the course of the day, including first responders that responded to the scene on April 5, 2023, as well as others who spoke with Lee Maynard after he shot and killed his half-brother, Charles Maynard, at a residence on Fox Lane.
The first two witnesses called by the prosecution, however, were among the most notable.
The first witness called was Eddie Grider, Charles Maynard’s step-father. Eddie testified when he arrived at the residence on Fox Lane on the evening of April 5, 2023, Lee, Charles, and another individual, Cody Wallace, were at the residence in one of the bedrooms.
Grider testified that when he arrived home, he went into his bedroom, and Charles came in. Charles asked Grider if he had given Grider his ID card. Grider testified that this was common and he often held onto Charles’ ID card when he wasn’t using it to make sure it didn’t become lost.
Grider said Charles hadn’t given it to him and offered to help him look for it. Grider testified they began searching for the ID in Charles’ room and while searching for it, Charles left the room and went back into the room that Lee and Wallace were in.
A verbal altercation ensued from there. Grider said he heard Lee and Charles raising their voices at each other while he remained in the other bedroom searching for the ID card. Within a few minutes, he testified he heard two gunshots inside the house.
Grider said when he got up to go into the other room where Charles was, he saw Lee run past him and out the front door of the house. Grider and Wallace called 911, and Grider attempted life-saving measures as did first responders, but Charles was pronounced dead at the scene by the Russell County Coroner’s Office.
Grider testified that the altercation leading up to the shooting happened within a few minutes, and while he was searching for the missing ID, he didn’t hear exactly what Lee and Charles were saying to each other during the altercation and said he didn’t know if Charles threatened Lee during the verbal altercation.
Jurors also heard from Cody Wallace, a family friend and neighbor who testified he was in the room at the time of the shooting. Wallace said at the time the altercation began, Charles had re-entered the room and began asking Lee about his missing ID. He said Lee denied having it or moving it, and eventually the situation escalated with Charles repeatedly accusing Lee of possessing the ID.
Wallace testified the two began yelling at each other and were face-to-face and bumping chests. He testified that he couldn’t remember specifically if Charles threatened Lee as the two were yelling at each other. As things became more heated, Wallace testified that Lee pulled a handgun from his waistband and stuck it to Charles’ neck. During defense questioning, Wallace said he wasn’t sure what exactly was said in the moment before Lee pulled the handgun, but said he remembered Charles yelling “do it” after Lee pulled the firearm.
Wallace testified that he believed Lee first shot Charles in the abdomen and then in the shoulder/chest area. During cross-examination, the defense showed an image of the bedroom where the shooting happened. Lee’s attorney, James Acton, noted the bedroom is small with only one exit, and noted that Charles stood between Lee and the doorway during the altercation. Lee’s attorneys argue he acted in self-defense when he shot Charles.
Jurors also heard from Kentucky State Police Trooper Jake Smith yesterday. Smith was a trooper with Post 15 at the time, and was the trooper who encountered Lee walking along the side of Highway 127 near Dunnville the day after the shooting took place.
Smith testified he was driving on Highway 127 when he encountered an individual that matched Lee’s description. After driving past him, Smith said he turned his police cruiser around and stopped near where Lee was walking. He said Lee answered his questions and when he was positively identified, he arrested Lee. On cross-examination, the defense said it should be noted that Lee did not act afraid or try to flee when Trooper Smith turned the cruiser around and stopped near him.
Jurors also heard from three individuals who Lee contacted after the shooting took place. While each conversation was a little different, they noted that Lee reached out to them through Facebook Messenger asking for a ride and in at least one case, denied being involved in the shooting.
Testimony is expected to continue this morning as the trial moves into Day Three at the Russell County Judicial Center.
