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KIRKSVILLE, MO. -- The Missouri Attorney General's Office has filed its response in the appeal of Jerod Reed.

The 20-year-old Kirksville man was convicted in March of last year in a bench trial in connection with a shot fired at two Kirksville police detectives. The officers were attempting to arrest Reed on another charge.
    
In the bench trial, Adair County Circuit Judge Russell Steele found Reed guilty of two counts of first-degree assault of a law enforcement officer, one count of armed criminal action and one count of resisting arrest.
    
Steele sentenced Reed to 12 years in prison.

In his appeal filed by Columbia Attorney Craig Johnson, Reed claims there was insufficient evidence that he knew KPD detectives were law enforcement officers.
    
The appeal also claims that there is insufficient evidence that he was attempting to cause injury to "both" detectives with a handgun that had just "one" bullet in it.
      
In his response, Todd Smith, with the state attorney general's office, says Reed pulling the loaded handgun and firing it in the proximity of the officers heads easily supports the two convictions of assault.
    
He also added that the detectives attire and verbal commands made Reed aware that they were police officers.

You can view the appeal document here and the response document here.



Previous stories...

Appeal filed after conviction for shooting at cops  

Shoot at police, go to jail

 Man found guilty of shooting at cops

 Shot fired!!  

Fugitive of the week - Jerod Reed