MINOT – The man charged with murdering another at a north Minot motel has entered a “not guilty” plea and his court appointed attorney, Steven Mottinger, has requested his client’s case be heard by a jury.
Darrion Jackson, 34, Fargo, was scheduled for a pretrial conference in North-Central District Court Wednesday but that appearance was waived. Jackson is charged with the murder of Timothy Smith, 38, on January 30, 2023.
A statement of fact submitted to the court by law enforcement says a resident of the Vegas Motel witnessed Jackson’s altercation with Smith which resulted in Jackson shooting Smith in the head. Police who responded to the shooting call say they found Smith lying unresponsive in a second-floor hallway.
Police say Jackson, who was not at the scene when officers arrived, went outside to ask a person for a cigarette before calling Central Dispatch to state that he had committed the shooting. According to the affidavit, Jackson told police he remembered firing the gun but did not remember what he did with the gun after firing it.
In May this year, the court ordered Jackson be committed for psychological evaluation to determine his fitness for further court proceedings.
