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Friday, Nov. 06, 2009

Attempted murder trial concluding

Jurors hear closing arguments about shooting.

Jurors heard closing arguments Thursday in the trial of a 58-year-old man accused of shooting a woman at a 16th Street motel in Merced last year.

Louis Clifton Trimble was arrested Nov. 5 for the shooting, which happened in a room at the Siesta Motel, located at 1347 W. 16th St.

The prosecution in the case claims Trimble lured the 24-year-old victim into the room intending to kill her, shooting her four times.

On the flip side, while Trimble's attorney doesn't deny his client shot the woman, he called it a crime of passion that happened in the heat of the moment.

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

Based on statements that Trimble made, police believe he had accused the victim of being intimate with one of his relatives. The victim survived the shooting, which happened after an argument between Trimble and the victim.

Prior to the shooting, Trimble and the victim had shared a close relationship, police said.

Deputy District Attorney Steve Slocum, the prosecutor in the case, told jurors Trimble had lured the victim into the room, offering to smoke crack cocaine with her.

Inside the room, Slocum said the defendant pulled a revolver from his waistband and fired four times. While firing, Slocum said Trimble told the victim "I'm going to kill you, I told you I would."

The woman was shot three times in the torso, and once in the leg. Trimble then pointed the revolver to the woman's head, according to the prosecution, and clicked the trigger several times. "That's an intent to kill," Slocum said.

When police arrested Trimble, 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 said while his client shot the victim, he did it after going to the motel room and discovering the woman was involved in prostitution, and using drugs and alcohol. Dumars said Trimble was in an "elevated state" and as a result "he reacted poorly."

Dumars said while his client may be guilty of attempted voluntary manslaughter, he's not guilty of attempted murder. "What he found would make any reasonable person upset and concerned," Dumars said.

Slocum called the defense's explanation "absurd."

"Nobody has a right to go into a motel room and then, because they don't like what they see, shoot that person," Slocum said.

Trimble is charged with attempted felony premeditated murder and attempted robbery of a dwelling. Both counts have an enhancement attached for alleged use of a gun.

If convicted, Trimble could be sentenced to life in prison.

Reporter Victor A. Patton can be reached at (209) 385-2431 or vpatton@mercedsun-star.com.