Chi'Sean Oglesby found guilty of murder; jury rejects self-defense claim

Chi'Sean Oglesby of Elyria was found guilty of murder by a Lorain County Common Pleas Court jury on Thursday, as the jurors rejected his claim of self-defense. When Judge Raymond Ewers read the jury's ruling that Oglesby had not acted in self-defense, defense attorney Christopher McNeal loudly sighed and dropped his head into his hands. Oglesby, 23, was found guilty on all nine of the charges leveled against him: three counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, four counts of felonious assault and one count of tampering with evidence. "We the jury, duly impaneled, find that the defendant Oglesby did not act in self-defense or defense of his residence in the murder of Damarco McNairy," Ewers said, reading from the verdict form. The defense had argued that when Oglesby shot and killed McNairy, 22, of Euclid and injured Danielle DeJarnette of Cleveland, in an apartment on Washington Avenue in Elyria on May 23, 2022, he had been defending his life and home from "dangerous criminals." Throughout the trial, McNeal had argued that the charges against Oglesby undermined his right to self-defense of himself and his home. Assistant Lorain County Prosecutor Daniellela Leigh argued, successfully in the end, that rather than an act of self-defense Oglesby shot and killed McNairy and wounded DeJarnette in a violent outburst in response to a "petty argument" among friends. "I think the jury got the right decision," Leigh said. "Obviously you have the right to protect yourself and your home, but the self-defense law is very specific. It just requires us to disprove one of those elements (of self-defense) beyond a reasonable doubt. And the jury got it right in this case." Throughout most of the trial, both sides of the courtroom were packed with family and supporters, but as the verdict was read on Thursday the room was filled almost exclusively by court and law enforcement officials. Oglesby's mother, Charisse Oglesby, and his girlfriend, Mariah Shorts, were the only family members present in the courtroom Thursday afternoon, and both maintained that Oglesby had acted in self-defense. "The truth doesn't get you anywhere," Charisse Oglesby said. "You can tell the truth, you can do everything right by the law and no matter what you do, you'll still be found guilty just because of how you look, and where you're from. It doesn't matter." Shorts lived with Oglesby in the Washington Avenue apartment where the shooting occurred but was not home at the time. "I just don't understand how it's not self-defense when five people break into your house with guns, with the intent of harming you, you know, they jumped him," she said. The jury's deliberations lasted more than six hours, beginning Wednesday afternoon and ending at about 2 p.m. Thursday when a verdict was announced. A sentencing date has not yet been set in the case, as Ewers asked that a presentence investigation be completed. He asked that the investigation be expedited, and said the sentencing date would be set within "the next few weeks." Contact Owen MacMillan at (440) 329-7123 or omacmillan@chroniclet.com.