State of Minnesota v. Rodney Donta Jackson

Minneapolis, Minnesota criminal defense lawyer represented defendant charged with first-degree premeditated murder.





On November 6, 2018, appellant Rodney Donta Jackson and his girlfriend drove to a gas station and convenience store in South Minneapolis. After parking, other vehicles blocked his car by parking in front of, and behind, Jackson's car. Jackson's girlfriend asked the occupants of the car parked in front, M.A. and a passenger, to move their car so that she and Jackson could leave. M.A. refused, and an altercation ensued. According to Jackson, M.A. and his passenger were rude and made violent threats. The passenger testified that Jackson repeatedly hit their car with his own vehicle and made violent threats. A bystander testified that he convinced M.A. and his passenger to disengage and go into the store but that Jackson's girlfriend started throwing objects. Jackson's girlfriend admitted throwing a container of Vaseline. The bystander arranged for the car behind Jackson to move, and Jackson and his girlfriend left the gas station. But after leaving, Jackson's girlfriend told Jackson that she wanted to retrieve something she had dropped. Jackson parked across the street and his girlfriend returned to the gas station. There, she threw a can at M.A.'s car. M.A. retaliated by throwing rocks at Jackson's girlfriend, who screamed and ran back to Jackson's car. Jackson heard the scream and saw his girlfriend running back to his car, pursued by M.A. Jackson, who had a valid permit to carry a handgun, drew his gun and fired a single shot at M.A. The shot struck M.A. in the head, killing him. Jackson and his girlfriend then drove away, ate at a restaurant, and went to see a movie. They were arrested leaving the movie theater.





The State charged Jackson with first-degree premeditated murder under Minn. Stat. § 609.185(a)(1) (2020), and second-degree intentional murder under Minn. Stat. § 609.19, subd. 1(1) (2020). The trial occurred between October 21 and November 1, 2019. The State presented eyewitness testimony and security camera footage of the incident. Jackson admitted to firing the shot that killed M.A. But Jackson testified that he saw M.A. holding a gun and claimed that he fired in self-defense. No other witnesses reported seeing M.A. armed, no weapon was found on the scene, and no witnesses reported seeing anyone touching M.A.'s body or removing anything from the scene.

State v. Jackson (Minn. 2022)





On November 6, 2018, appellant Rodney Donta Jackson and his girlfriend drove to a gas station and convenience store in South Minneapolis. After parking, other vehicles blocked his car by parking in front of, and behind, Jackson's car. Jackson's girlfriend asked the occupants of the car parked in front, M.A. and a passenger, to move their car so that she and Jackson could leave. M.A. refused, and an altercation ensued. According to Jackson, M.A. and his passenger were rude and made violent threats. The passenger testified that Jackson repeatedly hit their car with his own vehicle and made violent threats. A bystander testified that he convinced M.A. and his passenger to disengage and go into the store but that Jackson's girlfriend started throwing objects. Jackson's girlfriend admitted throwing a container of Vaseline. The bystander arranged for the car behind Jackson to move, and Jackson and his girlfriend left the gas station. But after leaving, Jackson's girlfriend told Jackson that she wanted to retrieve something she had dropped. Jackson parked across the street and his girlfriend returned to the gas station. There, she threw a can at M.A.'s car. M.A. retaliated by throwing rocks at Jackson's girlfriend, who screamed and ran back to Jackson's car. Jackson heard the scream and saw his girlfriend running back to his car, pursued by M.A. Jackson, who had a valid permit to carry a handgun, drew his gun and fired a single shot at M.A. The shot struck M.A. in the head, killing him. Jackson and his girlfriend then drove away, ate at a restaurant, and went to see a movie. They were arrested leaving the movie theater.



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The State charged Jackson with first-degree premeditated murder under Minn. Stat. § 609.185(a)(1) (2020), and second-degree intentional murder under Minn. Stat. § 609.19, subd. 1(1) (2020). The trial occurred between October 21 and November 1, 2019. The State presented eyewitness testimony and security camera footage of the incident. Jackson admitted to firing the shot that killed M.A. But Jackson testified that he saw M.A. holding a gun and claimed that he fired in self-defense. No other witnesses reported seeing M.A. armed, no weapon was found on the scene, and no witnesses reported seeing anyone touching M.A.'s body or removing anything from the scene.

Affirmed.