Intro to A New Beginning: Urbana Criminal Activity Column
I had the privilege to sit in on a recent trial. I was given the chance because of the criminal based writing I am doing in Journalism and also as work towards my Executive Internship. The trial I sat in on was a burglary and attempted murder trial. The trial started at 9 a.m. and was on Sep. 10th, 2014 at the Urbana Courthouse.
The defendant, Nicole Jackson, 38, was accused of robbing Andrew Procell of a computer, cash, as well as slashing his throat. Procell testified in court and eve though some things were hazy, the surveillance videos and his memory created a strong testimony; we knew justice would be served. The two had met after Procell had visited an apartment building where he knew he could get crack cocaine. He went to one of the apartments in the complex to smoke the cocaine, which is where he met Ms. Jackson.
The two began to have “friendly conversation” as Procell testified. They left and went to the Circle K twice to refill on beers that night. After Procell and Jackson decided to go to Jackson’s mother’s apartment, Procell decided to grab his computer to “ease the mood”. Since it was a new environment and everyone else was in the bedroom, Procell just wanted to relax and he wanted to do this by listening to music.
Later on when the two had went back to Procell’s apartment, Jackson became interested in the computer. Procell then got uncomfortable and asked Jackson to leave. When Jackson refused, she pulled a knife and swung. Procell thought he had just been hit in the neck. After he put his hand on it, he felt his fingers slide into the wound and he knew what had really happened.
Procell’s face fell in shock, and when he opened his eyes he saw Jackson pulling money out of his wallet as well as taking the computer. He tried to scream for help as he managed to get down the stairs of the apartment they were at, but realized that wasn’t a good idea when blood started to spurt out of his neck. There was a window opened on one of the buildings so he screamed, and a man called the ambulance and told Procell to lie down.
After this incident, Procell had to have surgery which consisted of ligament and muscular repair to the wound, as well as staples closing it after the surgery. In the favor of the people, the defendant Nicole A. Jackson was found guilty. The defendant faces 6 to 30 years in prison.
The experience I had in the courtroom was overpowering. To view someone’s life hand between great change or the possibility to be normal again is so nerve racking. You think the case will go a certain way, and then the evidence comes in and it completely changes your mind.
When the jury is in there, it is 12 random people, with two replacements, who probably don’t want to be there, voting on what your life will be like after that moment. To be able to watch it, was very exciting.
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