Persuaded by pocket-dial recording of victim's final minutes, jury convicts law graduate of murder
A cellphone pocket dial that recorded on voice mail some of the final minutes in the life of Jason Bohn’s girlfriend in 2012 helped persuade a New York City jury that the University of Florida law graduate should be convicted of first-degree murder on Wednesday.
In reaching the verdict, the Queens jury rejected the manslaughter conviction sought by the 35-year-old Bohn and his defense team. They had admitted that Bohn killed his 27-year-old girlfriend, Danielle Thomas, inside their Queens apartment, but contended the slaying occurred because of Bohn’s intermittent explosive disorder, the New York Daily News reports.
In the voice mail, Thomas repeatedly said: “I can’t breathe” as Bohn beat and strangled her, according to the Daily News and the New York Post.
Attorney Todd D. Greenberg represented Bohn. He said he was disappointed by the verdict and plans to appeal, seeking a reduction of the conviction to manslaughter, am New York reports. “I know Mr. Bohn committed a terrible act,” Greenberg said, “but I believe he was mentally ill at the time.”
Bohn could get a maximum prison term of life without parole when he is sentenced next month.
See also:
ABAJournal.com: “Law Grad Jason Bohn Now Faces Murder One Case in ‘Especially Cruel’ Slaying of Ex-Girlfriend”
ABAJournal.com: “Report: Voicemail recording of woman being strangled will be in evidence at law grad’s murder trial”