85-year-old mother of disabled son committed ‘justifiable homicide’ in Idaho when she shot armed burglar who sneaked into her home and threatened to ‘kill her repeatedly said a county prosecutor.
Christine Jenneiahn exhibited “one of the most heroic acts of self-preservation” Bingham County Prosecutor Ryan Jolley has ever heard of when she fatally shot Derek Condon, 39, according to a report from incident written on Tuesday.
The confrontation took place around 2 a.m. on March 13, when Condon woke Jenneiahn from her sleep at her home in Blackfoot, in southeastern Idaho, according to Jolley’s review. Condon, who was wearing a military jacket and black ski mask, pointed a gun and flashlight at Jenneiahn, he wrote.
A subsequent investigation into the case indicated a “high probability” that Condon struck Jenneiahn in the head while she was lying in bed due to blood spilling onto her pillow and onto her bedroom floor, according to the prosecutor’s examination. After that, Condon handcuffed Jennejahn and took her into the living room, according to the legal document.
Numerous death threats were made against Christine Jenneiahn, according to the prosecutor
Once in the living room, Condon handcuffed Jenneiahn to a wooden chair and demanded she tell him where valuables were kept in her home, according to Jolley’s analysis. When Jenneiahn told Condon she “didn’t have much,” the burglar put the gun to her head, the document continues.
Jenneiahn eventually told Condon about two safes downstairs, leading him to leave her handcuffed in the living room while he went to check several rooms multiple times, according to the review.
Checking downstairs, Condon realized that Jenneiahn’s disabled son was also in the house, according to Jolley’s review. This led Condon to become angry with Jenneiahn because she did not tell him someone else was in the house, according to the document.
“(Condon) also made numerous threats against Christine telling her he would kill her,” Jolley said in reviewing the incident.
Christine Jenneiahn shot burglar while handcuffed, prosecutor says
At one point, while Condon was downstairs, Jenneiahn dragged the chair she was handcuffed to into her room and retrieved her .357 Magnum from under her pillow, according to the review of the incident. The mother then returned to the living room and hid the gun between the armrest and cushion of a couch next to where she was sitting and waited to see what Condon had done, the legal document continues. .
Jenneiahn told prosecutors that his memories of what happened next were “somewhat hazy,” Jolley said in the examination. She remembers Condon coming back into the living room and threatening to kill her as he continued to burglarize her home, according to the county attorney.
During the chaos, Jenneiahn finally decided it was “now or never,” so she pulled out her revolver and shot Condon twice, according to the review. Condon returned fire, shooting Jenneiahn multiple times in the abdomen, leg, arm and chest, the document continued.
Derek Condon died from his injuries, police found burglary tools on him, prosecutor says
After returning fire, Condon entered the kitchen and died from his injuries, Jolley said in the magazine. Jenneiahn, still handcuffed, fell to the ground and remained there for 10 hours, according to the prosecutor.
The mother called 911 after her son came upstairs in the morning and handed her the phone, according to the report. Deputies arrived at the home and worked to save Jenneiahn’s life, according to the legal document.
A lock picking set, car keys, a handcuff key and items in a bag from Jenneiahn’s home were found with Condon, Jolley said in the examination.
‘Really incredible,’ prosecutor says of Christine Jenneiahn’s survival of incident
Condon’s killing is a “justifiable homicide” under Idaho law, Jolley’s office said.
“Idaho law regarding self-defense is clear under Idaho Code Section 19-202A. ‘No person in this state shall be placed in legal jeopardy of any kind for self-protection ‘”, according to Idaho law. “A person can stand his ground and defend himself or another person using force and any means.”
Jolley said in the review that “any reasonable person would believe it necessary to defend themselves or their disabled child in these circumstances.”
“The fact that Christine survived this encounter is truly incredible,” Jolley said. “Her courage, determination and will to live seem to be what saved her that night…Christine was right to take whatever means necessary to defend herself and her son that night.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 85-year-old Idaho woman was justified in shooting burglar: Prosecutor
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