Johnny Lee Wells Found Guilty
By: Jamie Kuras
Updated: March 25, 2011
ODESSA -- Final statements were made Friday in the capital murder trial of Johnny Lee Wells.
The jury went into deliberation around noon Friday. It only took them about 35 minutes before the jury made their decision.
The verdict: guilty of capital murder.
In the final statements, the defense focused on the testimony of former Odessa Police Officer Ron Inge. They stated how he couldn't remember anything regarding the case. They also pressed the fact that officers didn't seize any property when they searched Wells mothers house.
But that wasn't enough to get Wells off the hook. The prosecution had too much physical evidence with Wells' DNA attached to it.
District Attorney Bobby Bland explained to the jury how the odds of Wells' DNA being on the some of the evidence were well over 1 in a billion -- and in some cases, over 1 in a quadrillion. Bland said the fact that Wells' DNA was there showed why he was guilty.
Both the defense and prosecution spoke for about a half hour each in their final statements.
When the verdict was read, many family members of Virginia Washelesky cried while Wells kept a straight face and very lightly shook his head.
Wells will spend the remainder of his life behind bars.
The jury went into deliberation around noon Friday. It only took them about 35 minutes before the jury made their decision.
The verdict: guilty of capital murder.
In the final statements, the defense focused on the testimony of former Odessa Police Officer Ron Inge. They stated how he couldn't remember anything regarding the case. They also pressed the fact that officers didn't seize any property when they searched Wells mothers house.
But that wasn't enough to get Wells off the hook. The prosecution had too much physical evidence with Wells' DNA attached to it.
District Attorney Bobby Bland explained to the jury how the odds of Wells' DNA being on the some of the evidence were well over 1 in a billion -- and in some cases, over 1 in a quadrillion. Bland said the fact that Wells' DNA was there showed why he was guilty.
Both the defense and prosecution spoke for about a half hour each in their final statements.
When the verdict was read, many family members of Virginia Washelesky cried while Wells kept a straight face and very lightly shook his head.
Wells will spend the remainder of his life behind bars.
