Jury selection, opening statements and 911 calls played

Opening arguments were heard by the jury today as the trial of the State of Georgia versus Jimmy Brian Blackmon opened today in a Polk County Courthouse in Cedartown.

After more than four years of hearings and filings, twists and turns, a jury was selected to open the first day of the trial in the Tallapoosa Circuit Superior Court being heard by Chief Judge Mark Murphy.

The day kicked off with jury selection and moved into opening arguments, with District Attorney Jack Browning going over the awful events that ended with the death of Ginger Blackmon when she was allegedly shot by the defendant on a fateful evening of October 18, 2020, and the events that transpired after as Blackmon went on the run for eight days before law enforcement caught up with him.

His attorneys laid out their case in an opening arguments, claiming that Blackmon committed a crime of passion, and didn’t actually intend the actions he took that night and after.

The first day ended with the jury getting to hear 911 calls submitted as evidence involving the events of the night.

Day two will begin with additional evidence and testimony as District Attorney Jack Browning continues to present the state’s case against Blackmon.

A long, winding road to trial

Blackmon is facing multiple charges including murder, possession of a firearm or knife during commission of or attempt to commit certain felonies, cruelty to children and influencing a witness after he was captured in late October 2020.

He went on the run for several days and was ultimately located in Carroll County on his father’s property, spotted by a drone attempting to hide from law enforcement who took him into custody. Local and area law enforcement went on the hunt for the accused shooter over a wide net, brought in the U.S. Marshal’s Service and at one point at potential sighting caused lockdowns at Rockmart Middle and Rockmart High Schools.

Blackmon spent time behind bars, and then secured a bond amount on his murder charges under then Chief Judge Meng Lim in late 2020. Sheriff Johnny Moats went before the court attempting to block the use of Blackmon’s father’s property in Carroll County as surety for the bond, but was denied in 2021. Judge Lim later reduced the bond and Blackmon was able to get out of jail. He was remanded to the same home where the crime transpired on Rice Road in Rockmart, and on ankle monitoring to ensure he didn’t leave the residence.

After Lim lost a primary challenge and stepped down from the bench in 2022, Blackmon’s case transferred to Judge Mark Murphy, who took over as Chief Judge of the Tallapoosa Circuit Superior Court.

The case continued onward through the courts, but meanwhile law enforcement had their eye on Blackmon and confirmed that despite bond conditions to have no weapons in his possession, Blackmon’s home contained multiple firearms.

His bond went before Judge Murphy and was officially denied after the allegations were proven in hearings in December 2023.