HILLSBORO, Mo. — A Jefferson County jury has found a man accused of shooting a Carter County deputy and other members of law enforcement guilty on eight charges, officials said Friday.
The trial of James D. Cummings saw multiple changes of venue since the Van Buren man was first arrested in 2019.
His case came to a conclusion Friday morning, after approximately four hours of deliberation, said former Carter County Sheriff Richard Stephens.
Cummings was found guilty on four counts of first degree assault on a law officer and four counts of armed criminal action, Stephens said.
A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for September.
Additional information was not available from the court Friday afternoon.
“I’m glad it’s finally came to a conclusion at this portion of it. I think it will help everybody involved start to heal, find some closure in it,” Stephens said.
Cummings was arrested Aug. 16, after an incident that left then-Carter County Deputy Brigg Pierson with serious injuries from gunshot wounds.
Pierson, Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper Caleb McCoy, patrol Cpl. Jason Kuessner and Carter County Chief Deputy Justin Eudaley were attempting to serve an eviction notice on Cummings at property owned by Shawn Dougherty on Highway M in Van Buren.
Pierson has not been able to return to his work in law enforcement, Stephens said, and is still struggling from the result of his injuries.
“I think he’s making progress but I think he’s happy with the outcome of the trial,” he said, adding, “I think initially and ongoing the (sheriff’s department) staff struggled emotionally because this — it is one of our co-workers, our family.
“There were a lot of feelings of anxiety because of it. We did a lot within the leadership of the sheriff’s office to try to offset that.”
Crisis debriefing and counseling were made available, he said.
Pierson and other members of law enforcement testified during the four-day trial.
Stephens said in closing statements prosecutors focused on the elements of the statutory crimes, and reiterated that law enforcement were there to do their jobs. Defense attorneys said Cummings was afraid of law enforcement.
“I was very proud of the prosecution team and the defense team. From what I saw, I thought they both did a very good job and did their jobs trying to plead their case with the jury,” said Stephens, who was subpoenaed but was not ultimately called to testify.
The Aug. 16 incident was captured by deputies body camera footage.
In previous court hearings, information was detailed, including how Pierson and McCoy were injured. Pierson suffered gunshot wounds to his leg, groin and chest. McCoy was struck in the shoulder.
While McCoy and another deputy were able to retreat, “Deputy Pierson was very seriously wounded and fell down on the porch,” Department Public Safety Director Sandra Karsten said in 2020, when MSHP troopers were recognized for their efforts that day. “Nearby, Cpl. Jason Kuessner encouraged and then pleaded for the injured Deputy Pierson to attempt to roll off the porch to a position out of the gunman’s line of fire.
“Summoning all his strength, Deputy Pierson rolled off the porch and crawled two steps from the residence, but then collapsed. Cpl. Kuessner then put himself in harm’s way by leaving his covered position to drag Deputy Pierson behind a vehicle that was nearby.”
Dougherty, Karsten said, then ran from his position at a tree line to assist, and with weapons drawn, he and Kuessner “managed to drag Deputy Pierson to the tree line and an awaiting ambulance.”
Pierson spent four weeks in the hospital before he returned home.