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Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

Man guilty of attempted murder in 2008 shooting

The defendant could get 39 years in prison because of an old conviction.

A Merced County jury Friday convicted a 58-year-old man of attempted murder after he shot a woman at a 16th Street motel last year.

Louis Clifton Trimble, wearing a tan suit and a blue tie, sat silent while the court clerk read the two guilty verdicts for attempted murder and attempted robbery. Afterward, he exhaled and leaned back in his chair.

He faces 39 years to life in prison. He'll be sentenced Dec. 4. The sentence is more severe because of a felony assault conviction from 1985.

The seven-man, five-woman jury began deliberations late Thursday and returned with the verdict Friday morning.

Trimble's public defender didn't deny his client last year shot a 24-year-old woman inside the Siesta Motel. He dubbed it a crime of passion and argued Trimble reacted poorly when he learned the woman involved in prostitution and used drugs.

Prosecutor Steve Slocum told jurors Trimble lured the victim into the room offering to smoke crack cocaine with her. After an argument, he pulled out a revolver and shot her four times, three times in the torso and once in the leg.

While firing, Slocum said, Trimble told the victim "I'm going to kill you, I told you I would."

The victim survived the shooting. She was not present in court when the verdict was read, nor were any relatives of Trimble.

Merced police arrested Trimble within three hours of the shooting, which was reported at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5.

He put his arms up and stated "I'm Trimble. I'm the one you're looking for," Slocum told jurors.

Police also found residue on Trimble's hands from firing the gun.

Chief Public Defender Eric Dumars declined to comment on the verdict. "Mr. Trimble looks forward to his appeal," he said.

During the trial, Dumars argued his client should only be guilty of attempted manslaughter, not murder.

Slocum called the defense's explanation "absurd."

Reporter Scott Jason can be reached at (209) 385-2453 or sjason@mercedsun-star.com.