A man convicted of shooting a pedestrian in the head during a 2019 road rage incident in a San Tan Valley neighborhood was properly convicted of attempted second-degree murder and five other felonies, the Arizona Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday.
Christopher Lamon Handy was found guilty by a Pinal County jury and was later sentenced to several prison terms, the longest being 16 years. On appeal he challenged the sufficiency of the evidence to support some of the charges and contended the trial judge erred in precluding impeachment evidence about one of the witnesses.
However, a unanimous decision by the court of appeals found sufficient evidence that Handy, now 34, knew his conduct would likely cause the victim’s death even if that was not his intention.
“Handy admitted at trial that he knew the gun was loaded, that it could kill, and that all he had to do to fire it was squeeze the trigger,” according to the decision authored by Judge Peter Eckerstrom. “He also agreed that gun owners should never point a gun at anything they do not want to kill or destroy.”
Court records show Handy was speeding out of a cul-de-sac on the evening of Jan. 5, 2019 when a resident crossed the road at the same time. Handy almost hit the pedestrian, then exited his vehicle and pointed a gun at the man’s head while yelling threats.
According to testimony, an “incredibly” angry Handy fired one bullet from a distance of only two feet. The bullet went in and out of the victim’s scalp without fracturing his skull, then continued several feet near where two residents were standing.
“Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to sustaining the verdicts, and resolving all inferences against the defendant, we must determine whether the state presented evidence that ‘reasonable persons could accept as sufficient to support a conclusion of a defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt,’” Eckerstrom wrote, adding that the conclusion was there was “ample evidence” Handy intended to kill the victim.
Hardy is eligible for release in October 2032. However, he was involved in an assault last month against an Arizona Department of Corrections staff member.
Public records show Handy was issued a disciplinary infraction for the assault, one of 10 violations of ADC rules he has had since January 2020. Arizona Daily Independent was unable to confirm before press time whether criminal charges are under consideration for the assault.
