Jury: Jefferson City man not guilty of shooting

It took a Cole County jury about 90 minutes to find a Jefferson City man not guilty of being involved in a robbery and shooting that occurred in December 2009.

Therron Sloan Jr., 21, 623 Virginia St., had been charged with first-degree robbery, first-degree assault and armed criminal action.

During the trial Tuesday, Cole County Assistant Prosecutor Jonathan Bertz's key witness was the shooting victim, Terrell Henderson.

Henderson claimed that Sloan was one of two men to come to 217 Olive St. on the night of Dec. 16, 2009.

Henderson said Sloan and the other man - whom he never identified - had come to the home asking to use a cellphone. As they went out onto the porch, one of the men put a gun to Henderson's head, and Henderson and the man then struggled and, eventually, Henderson was shot one time.

Henderson said the first person fled and then Sloan started shooting at him, hitting him in the finger, leg and arm.

Sloan's attorney, Public Defender Rick French, pointed out that, while Henderson picked Sloan out of a picture line-up, he never named Sloan when talking with police.

French added that with no DNA, no gun or gun residue, it was very hard to make the case against Sloan.

Sloan did not testify.