Iesha Jones’ statement to police contradicted by expert during Chattanooga murder trial

The jury heard from an expert that a gun can’t just go off, as claimed in the defendant’s police statement, Thursday morning during the trial of a woman allegedly involved in the 2018 death of a Chattanooga man.

Iesha Ariona Jones, 29, is facing multiple charges, including first-degree premeditated murder and first-degree aggravated murder, in connection with the death of Norman Sullivan, 52, on Sept. 3, 2018. The trial is unfolding before Judge Don W. Poole in Hamilton County Criminal Court.

Jones and her ex-husband, Domanic Geonata Gillespie, 30, were arrested Sept. 5, 2018, in Benton, Tennessee, in connection with the shooting death Sullivan two days earlier. Gillespie will be tried separately at a later date.

Defense attorney Hannah Stokes moved for a mistrial during bench discussions with the prosecution on the basis that the state misfiled evidence. Stokes was referring to a towel containing red specks that was recovered at Jones’ home during her arrest. Analysis of the towel determined the red specks to be paint. The prosecution still entered it as evidence. Poole denied the motion.

Before closing arguments, the jury heard testimony from Hamilton County Medical Examiner’s Office Director James Metcalfe.

Metcalfe testified that Sullivan’s cause of death was a gunshot wound to head and neck, ruling it a homicide.

Jurors also heard a former agent with Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Jason Kennedy, who specialized in firearms and shell casings.

Kennedy testified to analyzing the bullet found in Jones’ vehicle and demonstrated to the jury how a gun can be fired if the clip is out of it, addressing the portion of Jones’ video testimony presented at court where she said that the gun “just went off” after she put the clip back into it.

“You’d have to insert the clip and remove the safety and load the chamber if it didn’t have a round,” Kennedy said, adding that safety clips vary between gun manufacturers. He also said the trigger had to be pulled for the gun to discharge a bullet.

Stokes filed for a judgment of acquittal on the basis of lack of evidence presented at court that indicated Jones had any intention to commit a murder when she went to Sullivan’s home at the 2100 block of Vance Avenue.

“They went there to buy drugs, your honor,” Stokes said.

Poole denied the request, saying that “evidence presented falls in line with premeditation; the defendant and [Gillespie] went to the [apartment] with a gun, that shows premeditation.”

(READ MORE: Hamilton County District Attorney announces indictment on cold case)

“The defendant, Iesha Jones, played a part in every single [aspect] of this crime,” prosecutor AnCharlene Davis said during her closing argument.

“Iesha Jones had several times to exercise reflection and judgment,” Davis said. “She had time to reflect and to judge when she fired [at] Norman Sullivan over and over.”

During her closing argument, Stokes’ said that the situation unfolded quickly and her client was just trying to leave the apartment.

“This was a physical, knock-door drag-out that busted out into the living room where everyone could see,” Stokes said. “She said, ‘It all happened so fast.’ She said she had gone through other traumas, and this was one more, and all she wanted to do was drive and go home.”

Executive Assistant District Attorney Cameron Williams asked the jury how people can be judged through their actions, during his portion of the closing arguments.

“How do you measure a man or a woman?” Williams asked. “Norman Sullivan made mistakes. He sold drugs. Maybe you should measure a man or a woman by what they do when they face imminent death.”

“Let’s think about that when we think about Norman Sullivan,” Williams said. “Norman Sullivan, 52 years old, a maintenance supervisor at the Chattanooga airport and small-time drug dealer, what does he do when he is faced with the barrel of the gun pointed at him by [Gillespie].”

Williams further argued that Sullivan screamed to the woman in the bedroom with him and Gillespie to leave.

“He knows that they are there to kill him,” Williams said. “And that is what they did.”

Contact La Shawn Pagán at lpagan@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6476. Follow her on Twitter @LaShawnPagan.