ATHENS —
A Henderson County jury deliberated for almost 4 1/2 hours Friday before finding a 20-year-old Athens man guilty of murder in the July 2011 driveby killing of a Palestine woman.
At 4:20 p.m. Friday, the 11-woman, one-man jury returned three verdicts against James Garfield Marshall, 20, of Athens, finding the man guilty of murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault from a motor vehicle.
Beginning with jury selection on Aug. 14, Marshall was on trial for the July 4, 2011 shooting death of 18-year-old Desiree Dijon Brown of Palestine.
Just one month and one day prior to her death, Brown had graduated from Westwood High School where she was described by district officials as "friendly, bright and always happy" and excelled in athletics.
The punishment phase of the trial will now begin at 9 a.m. Monday at the Henderson County Justice Center in Athens, with Third State District Judge Mark Calhoon presiding.
Marshall faces five-to-99 years or life in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Authorities have said Marshall got into a verbal dispute with an individual at a Fourth of July neighborhood cookout/celebration in Athens, departed the area, returned approximately five minutes later and fired multiple rounds from an AK-47 assault rifle from his vehicle.
Brown, who was not believed to be targeted by the man, was fatally shot, while an 18-year-old Athens man was treated and released at a local hospital for a gunshot wound to the upper arm area.
Marshall was arrested and charged with Brown’s murder approximately 1 1/2 hours later.
Over seven days, Henderson County District Attorney Scott McKee, who represented the state during the trial, called a total of 52 witnesses before closing Thursday.
Athens attorney John Youngblood, who represented the defendant, opened and closed without calling any witnesses.
Paul Stone may be contacted via e-mail at pstone@palestineherald.com
Local News
Athens man found guilty of WHS grad's murder
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