RICHLAND CO.—A preliminary hearing held for Jordan L. Fletcher, 22, of rural Richland County today (Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013), didn’t end in dismissal of the charge as hoped.
Fletcher is accused of shooting former roommate Marcus Adams, 23, also of rural Richland County (the same residence as Fletcher, as the two were sharing a rental house), on Feb. 7, 2013. Both are originally of Wabash County.
Jordan L. Fletcher
During the hearing Richland County’s Sheriff, Andy Hires, gave testimony for the case. Assistant states attorney Todd Reitz filled in for absent state’s attorney David Hyde. Reitz proceeded to question Hires about what he witnessed in handling the case. Hires said he received a phone call that there was a shooting incident, in which he “went ahead and responded to the call at 1018 Shell Road, Calhoun.” When he arrived Fletcher was in the back of an Olney police car and Adams was being put in an ambulance for transport to the hospital in Olney; he was then flown to Deaconess Hospital in Evansville, Ind. While Hires was on the way to the residence he contacted Illinois State Police who arrived at the scene as well.
Overall the hearing lasted about 50 minutes, at which time the judge wrapped it up and read Fletcher’s current charges: Aggravated Domestic Battery (because technically, Adams was still on the lease, although he’d been booted from the premises in recent weeks by Fletcher because Fletcher suspected that Adams was up to his old ways again, with the old doper gang) and Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm. Adams is a convicted felon and was, according to the official story, up to no good on the night in question, harassing Fletcher about items he’d left in the residence, and wanting to come get them at an ungodly hour (about 4 in the morning). The reports have it that Adams threatened Fletcher, who was disabled with a bad foot and a back injury, Fletcher told Adams wait til morning, Adams said no, he and his posse were coming to kick Fletcher’s ass, and when Adams gained entry into the house, he busted down the door of Fletcher’s bedroom, where Fletcher had retreated and legally armed himself. Fletcher reportedly fired a warning shot in Adams’ direction, and this struck him, resulting in the injury. Yes, this is another case of lawful self-defense a la Brandon Jenkins. And yes, it’s very possible that Adams is another one of Hyde’s little boy narcs, without whom, in Richland County (since Hyde doesn’t reside there, but instead lives in Trimble in Crawford County), there would be no drug busts. The problem is, his little narcs think they’re 8 feet tall and bulletproof, and pretty much do whatever they want until someone shoots them.
Fletcher is being capably represented by McLeansboro attorney Alan Downen. A next pretrial has been set for Thursday, March, 14, 2013 at 11:30 a.m. We’ll have more extensive coverage in the next print version, on stands March 13; be sure to renew if you’re up, or get your e-Edition online membership so you can read it all right here.