Crime & Safety

Man Convicted Of Murdering Mentor Man Denied New Trial

The Court of Appeals has, once again, denied Horace "Bo" Vinson Jr. a new trial

A man from Willowick who was convicted of murdering a Mentor man in 2006 has been denied a new trial by the 11th Appellate District Court of Appeals.

Horace "Bo" Vinson Jr., 30, was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison for the shooting of Michael Rush.

An altercation between the two men began because they were involved with the same woman. Vinson's then-fiancee and the mother of his infant child had become involved with Rush.

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On the day of the incident, the woman told Vinson she was leaving him for Rush and that "someone" was coming to pick her up.

Then Rush, 42, arrived at Vinson's father's house and began helping the woman move.

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Vinson grabbed a gun, loaded it and went to his front door where he called Rush -- who is black -- a racial epithet and told him to get off his lawn. Then Vinson also threw a rock at Rush's car.

Vinson told authorities that Rush -- who had spent time in prison for rape, aggravated robbery and drug trafficking convictions -- went to grab a gun from his waistband and dropped it. Then Vinson, fearing for his life, fired four shots at him.

However, the only witness said they saw Rush running away with his hands by his sides when he fell to the ground. Meanwhile, Vinson stood in his front lawn holding a smoking gun.

This is Vinson's third appeal and second request for a new trial. In his previous appeals, he claimed the trial court prohibited evidence that would have established his claim of self-defense.

In his latest appeal. he claims the court did not properly instruct the jury on the elements of self-defense.

The appeals court, in a decision written by Judge Mary Jane Trapp, denied Vinson's request on several grounds.

First, they said the time limit had expired to request a new trial.

Second, the court said a request for a new trial is not the place to raise an issue regarding jury instructions.

"The issue regarding the propriety of jury instructions could have been raised on direct appeal but it was not," Trapp wrote in the court's decision.

Judge Timothy Cannon and Judge Diane Grendell concurred with the judgment.


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