Jury trial continued in murder case
LAKEPORT >> Thomas Andrew Magee, 63, of Clearlake was in custody and present by remote appearance for a recent Settlement/Trial Readiness Conference.
The Court found good cause to continue and all the dates previously set are reset as follows:
The Settlement/Trial Readiness Conference has been reset for April 13, 2021 at 1:30 p.m. in Department 3 with the Master Calendar Call Hearing reset for May 28, 2021 at 8:15 a.m. in Department 3. The Jury Trial scheduled for Jan. 27, 2021 has been reset for June 2, 2021 at 8:15 a.m. in Department 3.
The defendant has been charged with vehicular manslaughter, murder, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, attempted murder and hit and run.
The charges stem from an incident in September of 2019 when a Lucerne man died after a vehicle-pedestrian collision that local authorities say was murder.
Sheriff’s office public information officer Lt. Corey Paulich said deputies had been dispatched along with California Highway Patrol officers to the area of Highway 20 and Lucerne’s 7th Avenue, where they found a male pedestrian with critical injuries. The man, who was later identified as Joseph Symond Jackson, 40, of Lucerne, was flown to Sutter Lakeside Hospital in Lakeport, where he succumbed to his injuries.
According to Paulich, law enforcement officers determined, based on witness statements and the nature of the accident, that Jackson had been “intentionally struck” and that the suspect had “fled the scene.”
Earlier last year, defense counsel requested the matter be set for a long-cause preliminary hearing. A long-cause preliminary hearing is defined as a hearing on a request for order that extends more than a single court day.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office booked Thomas Andrew Magee on Sept. 10, 2019 into the Lake County Jail on suspicion of murder with bail set at $1 million.
Witnesses said Magee and Jackson had been in a dispute over property, Paulich added.
According to Paulich, Magee, driving a white van, was arrested by CHP in Clearlake Oaks. The sheriff’s major crimes unit responded to investigate.
Prior to the pandemic, Magee was not present for a Master Calendar Call Hearing at the Lake County Superior Court in Lakeport as he was in the hospital due to a medical condition.
Magee was out of the hospital and in custody, appearing at the setting of the preliminary hearing and to ascertain the status of defendant’s hospital stay.
Earlier last year, defense counsel requested the matter be set for a longcause preliminary hearing. A long-cause preliminary hearing is defined as a hearing on a request for order that extends more than a single court day.
The Master Calendar Call Hearing set for March 27, 2020, confirming that trials and other proceedings before the court can be scheduled so as not to conflict with one another, was rescheduled — along with the preliminary hearing set for April 2, 2020. Due to the pandemic and court closures, both hearings were rescheduled.
During a hearing earlier last year, Defense Attorney Angelina Potter addressed that there was outstanding discovery in this matter and she requested a continuance.
The Court, pursuant to the request of the Defendant, ordered this matter be continued.
At that time, the Master Calendar Call had been rescheduled for Jan. 31, 2020 and the Jury Trial was set for Feb. 5, 2020.
The defendant remains in custody and is ordered to appear on all dates.