Prior shooting can be used at trial

A man facing trial on murder charges in the April 14 shooting death of an ex-girlfriend did prison time for shooting another ex-girlfriend in 1996.

When Jimmy Lee Jones, 35, stands trial in Richmond County Superior Court, the woman who was shot but survived will be allowed to testify, a judge ruled Wednesday.

Mr. Jones has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, cruelty to children in the third degree and weapon violations. He is accused of killing 31-year-old Latoya Singleton in front of their infant daughter.

Sheriff's investigators responding to a 3:30 a.m. burglary alarm call found Ms. Singleton lying on her kitchen floor. She had been shot in the head. Her 8-month-old daughter was sitting in the crook of Ms. Singleton's legs, crying, Assistant District Attorney Ashley Wright said Wednesday.

Mr. Jones stole a truck that night from the International Paper plant where he had been working, Ms. Wright said. Several days later he surrendered to law enforcement officers in St. Petersburg, Fla.

On July 5, 1996, in Burke County, his ex-girlfriend told investigators Mr. Jones came into her home uninvited and started an argument, Ms. Wright said. He chased her through the house, shooting at her repeatedly. The victim was shot several times but survived.

Mr. Jones pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in 1997 and received a seven-year prison sentence. He served five years, according to the Department of Corrections Web page.

Attorney Hugh Hadden of the public defender's office argued that the earlier case shouldn't be presented at trial. It happened so long ago it would be unfair to use it as evidence against Mr. Jones now, his attorney said.

Judge James G. Blanchard Jr. ruled the evidence can be introduced at trial. He noted that appellate courts have ruled that acts that occurred 13 to 17 years earlier can still be considered similar transactions.

Reach Sandy Hodson at (706) 823-3226 or sandy.hodson@augustachronicle.com.