Jury convicts gunman in Santa Rosa jewelry robbery

Sonoma County jurors on Friday returned guilty verdicts against an Oakland man charged with the attempted armed robbery of a Santa Rosa jewelry store in which he exchanged gunfire with a store owner and used an employee as a human shield.

But the panel split 7-5 in favor of acquittal over whether Jimmy Lee Terry Jr.’s actions constituted attempted murder. Although a video recording showed Terry shooting five times at store owner Ty Visscher, jurors said it was unclear whether he was trying to hit him or just scare him away. Deliberations took almost ?three days.

“The intent to kill was what we got hung up on,” said the jury’s foreman, who did not give his name. “We just could not move forward.”

Still, Terry, who represented himself during the 10-day trial, faces a life sentence after ?being found guilty of six charges including kidnapping, second-degree robbery and assault with a firearm. He thanked ?jurors before they were excused.

“And God bless you all,” ?he said before being led back to jail.

A sentencing date was not set.

In the court hallway, prosecutor Mark Urioste told jurors it was not yet decided whether Terry would be retried on attempted murder.

He said the video of the robbery showing Terry and an accomplice, Johnny Tasker Douglas, storming Bennett Valley Jewelers on July 10, 2014, was persuasive. Terry is seen grabbing employee Suzanne Dodd, 67, and using her as a shield as Visscher emerges from a back room and fires his own gun at Terry.

Terry, Douglas and Dodd were all shot and injured.

“The first time I saw that my jaw dropped,” Urisote said.

Visscher testified he came out when he heard the commotion and fired first. Terry shot back, sending bullets from his revolver whizzing past Visscher’s head.

When he heard Terry’s gun click on a spent shell casing, Visscher said he chased Terry through the store, shooting him four times.

The wounded gunman was tackled outside the store by an off-duty police officer.

Douglas, 36, also of Oakland, managed to get away but was arrested weeks later. He was tried separately and sentenced to ?11 years in prison.

You can reach Staff Writer Paul Payne at 707-568-5312 or paul.payne@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @ppayne.