Jury convicts in Scott County killing; acquits on murder, armed criminal action
KBSI FOX23 News at 9 p.m.
CHARLESTON, Mo., (KBSI) — A Mississippi County jury on Sept. 30 found Cannon guilty of voluntary manslaughter and not guilty of second-degree murder and armed criminal action in a long-running Scott County homicide case, prosecutors said.
Because Cannon is classified as a prior and persistent offender, the sentencing range will mirror what would have been available for second-degree murder, according to the prosecutor’s office.
The more-than-five-year-old case was moved for trial to Butler and Mississippi counties. Jurors reviewed extensive evidence, including blood-spatter analysis, surveillance footage and cell phone data presented by experts from the Missouri State Highway Patrol Crime Laboratory, the Sikeston Department of Public Safety and a state-retained blood-spatter expert. Prosecutors praised the jury as attentive and thoughtful.
Officials acknowledged that verdict forms returned Tuesday contained inconsistencies — an outcome not unheard of when jurors convict on a lesser count and acquit on higher charges. The judge individually polled each juror, and their intent is on the record. A hearing will be held on the issue, and the defense is expected to present its position, prosecutors said. Updates will be provided as the matter is resolved.
The prosecutor’s office requested privacy for the victim’s family, noting they have remained in close contact and sought justice throughout the past five years.
