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Monday, September 30, 2024

Columbus Drug User Who Shot Local Businessman Sentenced To 20 Years in Prison

A Columbus man who shot a Zanesville business owner in the face was sent to prison.

Jonathan R. Conkle, 26, of Columbus, appeared in Muskingum County Court of Common Pleas for sentencing on charges for crimes committed on June 21, 2023.

On September 30, Judge Mark C. Fleegle sentenced Conkle to serve 20 mandatory years in prison.

During the hearing, Judge Fleegle emphasized that drug use creates victims, often through violence.

Pointing to the dozens of spectators gathered for Conkle’s sentencing, Judge Fleegle noted that everyone, on both sides of the case, has been horribly affected by the violence that occurred.

On September 13, Conkle pleaded guilty to felony attempted murder with a firearm specification and felony robbery.

On the morning of June 21, Conkle opened fire at a Zanesville business, shooting business owner J.J. Jasper in the face and critically wounding him.

After shooting the man, Conkle beat him with a crowbar. He went through the man’s pockets and took the keys to his motorcycle.

Conkle tried to leave the scene on the stolen motorcycle.

When police responded to the emergency call, they found Conkle on the owner’s motorcycle. Conkle was arrested.

Conkle tried to take the police officer’s firearm. He told officers that the business owner “deserved it.”

In the sentencing memorandum, Muskingum County Assistant Prosecutor John Litle detailed Conkle’s attack on the business owner.

“In front of a 16-year-old terrified child, he pointed his gun, accusing Jasper of victimizing the boy,” Litle wrote. “Jasper kept his attention, telling the child witness to hide. The defendant shot Jasper in the face. Jasper raised his hands to block the attack. He shot Jasper in the wrist. He shot him in the other wrist, hitting his watch. He shot him in the chest.

“Jasper took off running, yelling for help, leaving a spray of blood behind,” Litle wrote. “The defendant was on his heels, crowbar in hand. The defendant beat him savagely.”

Litle explained why the case took so long to resolve. Conkle spent months denying his use of marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms to psychologists, pretending that he was suffering a one-time psychotic break.

The State proved that Conkle used only marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms. Because of his use of those substances, he entered a drug-induced psychosis and committed the crimes.

Litle says that drug use does not excuse crimes.

“Using drugs is no excuse for criminal behavior,” Litle said. “In this case, we had to prove that Conkle’s drug use led to his attack to counteract his claim that he was temporarily insane.”

Litle says psychotic breaks caused by marijuana are becoming more common.

“Unfortunately, studies show that with today’s high-THC marijuana, THC vapes, and the increasing rate of continuous, heavy use of marijuana by young persons, psychotic and schizophrenic reactions to the drugs are more common.”

Litle says many people mistakenly believe marijuana and mushroom use can not cause psychosis. The risk of Conkle walking free because of this belief is why obtaining a guilty plea was important.

“The fact is, there are people who have used marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms,” Litle said. “Because they have yet to experience a psychotic episode, there is very little that can be done to convince them that one of the possibilities when abusing those drugs is a drug-induced psychosis and a violent outburst, as occurred in this case.”

“Given the risk of a person with that opinion being on the jury, it was necessary to resolve the case with a plea,” Litle said.

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