In a verdict that speaks to the resiliency of the human spirit, 99-year-old Mr. Francis Leehan witnessed justice being served when his assailant Karon Roylee Jones was sentenced to 12 years in prison for a heinous Thanksgiving robbery in 2024. According to a recent press release by the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office, Jones' conviction for Assault in the Second Degree, Robbery in the First Degree, and ID Theft was handed down by Multnomah Circuit Court Judge Andrew Lavin on May 2, after a 90-minute jury deliberation.
Deputy District Attorney Andrew Wood, who led the prosecution, emphasized the severity of the crime, expressing on the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office: "The defendant imposed unacceptable cruelty upon Mr. Leehan on Thanksgiving morning in 2024. Mr. Leehan had the strength and fortitude to show up in court at 99 years of age and provide his account of the incident to the jury. The verdict of the jury in this case is a testament to the incredible strength of Mr. Francis Leehan. I hope that the verdict of the jury and the sentence imposed by Judge Lavin provide Mr. Leehan with a sense that justice has been served." The District Attorney's Office also extended their gratitude towards MCDA Investigator Nathan Tobey and MCDA Victim Advocate Jessica Mathis for their significant role in the case.
The crime took place early in the morning on November 28, 2024, when the nonagenarian drove himself to the Winco Foods store on NE 102nd Avenue in Portland. Surveillance footage captured the moment the elderly man was targeted by Jones who was lying in wait in a gold Mercedes sedan. The attack occurred as Mr. Leehan returned to his vehicle after shopping, a brazen theft that swiftly escalated to violence when the victim attempted to resist. In the confrontation that followed, Jones accelerated the Mercedes as Mr. Leehan clung to the driver's door, subsequently causing him to be thrown to the ground, sustaining injuries in the process.
Fortunately, Mr. Leehan did not suffer any broken bones, the victim only suffering bruising and bleeding to his arms and hands, thanks to the forthcoming intervention of authorities, Jones was apprehended the following day as he sat in the pilfered vehicle containing identifiable belongings of Mr. Leehan, including insurance and medical cards. As detailed in the District Attorney's Office press release, the unique features of the Mercedes played a crucial role in enabling police to trace the suspect and secure his arrest.
