Cheyne Kehoe Convicted Guilty Of Four Felony Charges, But Acquitted Of A Fifth Count
A Colville, Wash., man charged with trying to kill two police officers during a videotaped gun battle with police was convicted late Monday night on four felony counts, but was acquitted on another.
A Clinton County jury found Cheyne Kehoe, 21, guilty on two counts of felonious assault, one count of attempted murder of a sheriff’s deputy, and one count of carrying a concealed weapon.
He was found innocent on a second charge of attempted murder of a state trooper.
Kehoe had maintained that after he and his brother were stopped Feb. 15 for a licence plate violation in Wilmington he returned the officers’ fire only to give himself a chance to flee.
The exchange was videotaped by a recorder mounted on a police cruiser.
The defense rested its case after Kehoe’s testimony Monday morning. Closing arguments were completed shortly after 5 p.m. and jury instructions began.
The jury began deliberations shortly before 6 p.m., and the verdicts were read in court just before midnight. A date for sentencing was not immediately set.
Under questioning by his lawyer Jeff Hoskins, Kehoe said he did not aim his handgun at the officers, state trooper John Harold Harker and Clinton County deputy sheriff Robert Gates.
“I was in complete control of the gun at all times. I knew where I was aiming at,” Kehoe said.
Kehoe testified more than an hour Monday after 6-1/2 hours on the witness stand Saturday.
The prosecution contended that Kehoe fired at the officers.
Kehoe denied the prosecution’s allegation that he opened fire from inside the 1977 Chevrolet Suburban car in which he and his brother were riding.
Kehoe told the jury on Saturday that he was scared. Prosecutors repeatedly showed the jury the videotape of the gunfight.
“I’m really scared, and I just want to get away,” Kehoe told the jury, describing the emotions behind his videotaped actions. “I don’t know why the officer is firing at me.”
Kehoe said his brother, Chevie Kehoe, wanted to kill their parents to get to their father’s gun collection, and that Chevie wanted to rob an armored car.