LAKE COUNTY ? A jury found former Clearlake resident Ronell Isaac, 34, guilty Thursday of attempted voluntary manslaughter in an October 16, 2006 double shooting in Clearlake.
Isaac faced charges two counts of attempted murder with a special allegation of causing great bodily injury, two counts of assault with a firearm, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and on charge of vandalism because of stray bullets that hit a nearby vehicle.
“It was a complex verdict,” prosecuting Deputy District Attorney Susan Krones said.
On the counts of attempted murder, the jury found Isaac guilty of attempted voluntary manslaughter, which carries a maximum sentence of five-and-a-half years. The two great bodily injury allegations were found to be true, and add up to 10 years each. Isaac was also found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The jury hung on the two counts of assault with a firearm, and the Lake County District Attorney”s Office dismissed the charges.
“There was no issue over whether my client used the firearm ? he admitted to that on the stand. The only question was why did he do it,” Isaac”s defense attorney Jason Webster said.
According to a DA press release, Isaac followed the two victims, former Clearlake residents Kenneth Woodford and Georgina Faith-Woodford, in his vehicle, and exchanged words with them when they pulled over in front of the American Legion Hall in Clearlake. Isaac fired 12 shots at the victims, and both victims were shot multiple times.
They drove to Redbud Community Hospital and were treated for serious injuries, according to the release.
“Mr. Isaac said he saw a gun in the pocket of the sweater of female victim, Ms. Faith. It”s whether or not the act was malicious, and self-defense is not malicious. I think that”s where they (the jury) got hung up,” Webster said.
Webster said another factor that may have affected the jury”s inability to reach a verdict on the two assault charges was that Isaac and his fianc? testified that Faith and Faith-Woodward had stalked them prior to the shooting.
The jury found Isaac not guilty of the felony vandalism charge.
Isaac faces a maximum of 26 years in prison, according to Krones. He is due back in court for sentencing on June 20 before Superior Court Judge Richard Martin, who presided over the two-week trial.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com
