In trial of ex-Fresno County deputy accused of killing sergeant, who will jury believe?
The trial of former Fresno County Sheriff’s Deputy Jared Mullis began Thursday as he faces an involuntary manslaughter charge for the shooting death of his mentor and boss, Sgt. Rod Lucas.
Lucas died Halloween night 2016 from a single gunshot wound to the chest. Investigators and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office are blaming Mullis, alleging he was negligent with his gun, causing it to accidentally fire and fatally shoot Lucas, 46.
If found guilty, Mullis, 36, could spend up to four years in prison.
But which version of what happened that night in the deputy’s satellite office will be up to the jury to decide.
During her opening statement, Deputy District Attorney Amy Freeman said Lucas and Mullis were horsing around that night. They were both in a good mood, having successfully completed a drug operation earlier in the day. The two deputies had also gone to Costco to buy Halloween candy.
In the office, normally used for undercover operations, Lucas jokingly attempted a roundhouse kick at Mullis when Lucas’ concealed weapon fell out of his pants and onto the floor.
Mullis chided Lucas for the quality of his holster and showed him his new gun, a Smith & Wessen M&P 45 Shield gun.
“As he is showing the gun to Lucas, the gun went off, hitting Lucas in the chest, one time,” Freeman said.
Freeman downplayed the theory that somehow Lucas accidentally caused the gun to fire. She said experts will testify that isn’t what happened.
Mullis’ attorney Roger Wilson gave the jury a slightly different version. He said Mullis was showing the gun and holster to Lucas when he put the gun back in the holster and handed it to him.
“He (Mullis) turns away and he then sees Lucas make a jerking movement and then he hears a pop,” Wilson said.
At first, Mullis didn’t think Lucas had been shot and was worried about having to explain how the gun went off, Wilson said.
“But he turns around and notices Lucas is injured,” Wilson said.
A sergeant who was there that night offered another version of the events. He told the jury he asked Mullis what happened, and the defendant said he was handing the gun and holster to Lucas and he dropped it.
“It hit the floor and went off,” the witness said.
Another witness — a special investigator who works in the satellite office — testified he was on his way out when he heard a loud pop.
The witness, a veteran law enforcement officer with emergency medical training, knew immediately it was a gunshot. He dropped his belongings and raced back into the office.
He said it was chaos inside the office as he saw Lucas laying on the floor with a single gunshot wound to the chest. The special investigator tried to give him first aid, but Lucas was seriously wounded and he was rapidly becoming unresponsive.
“I could hear him breathing … but he never said anything,” said the witness, who asked not to be named. “I told him, ‘Keep breathing and focus on my eyes.’”
The witness also said Mullis was visibly upset, and banged his fist on the top of a desk. “He was very emotional that night,” the witness said.
The trial resumes Friday.
This story was originally published December 5, 2019 at 4:56 PM.
