Just a week after jury selection began, the trial of Charles Pilkinton ended in a mistrial last Tuesday.
Pilkinton was charged in the murder on November 15, 2008 of 66 year old Raymond Tobin. Tobin was found slumped over the steering wheel of his car on Inda Drive shot twice in the back of the head. According to reports, when police arrived at the scene Pilkinton admitted to killing Tobin.
Pilkinton was represented by Shreveport criminal defense attorney Daryl Gold.
The jury was unable to reach a verdict as to Pilkinton’s guilt.
Pilkinton was originally charged with 1st degree murder under a provision in Louisiana law that allows that charge when the victim is under the age of 12 years or over the age of 65 years. The district attorney later reduced the charge to 2nd degree murder, which carries a sentence of life in prison without parole.
Bossier District Attorney Schuyler Marvin recused himself from the case and it was tried by Assistant Attorney General Clifford Strider III. Marvin removed himself from the case because Pilkinton’s son-in-law contributed to his campaign for DA and because of a personal friendship with the son-in-law's brother.
Tobin was an Air Force retiree who had moved back to the area after spending a few years in Ohio. He was a Eucharistic minister at his church.
DA Marvin said that his office will re-file the charges.
Tobin’s two children have filed a civil suit for wrongful death against Pilkinton.
If you want to keep up with this case, I suggest that you buy the Inquisitor and read this blog. There have been absolutely no reports from Channels 3, 6, 12 or The Times about the mistrial, or even the trial for that matter.
They are really on the ball when it comes to keeping you informed of ‘holiday safety tips’, recalled cribs or Chinese drywall, but don’t expect them to report on a mundane matter such as this.
I dont know much about this case outside of what I read a number of weeks ago in The Inquisitor. The thing that was extremely bizarre about the case was that this guy Pilkington was on the jury for the biggest murder case of then DA Henry Brown (and now Senior Judge on the Court of Appeals)...who himself was implicated in the murder by the defendant's attorney Milkovich. Hard to believe that could happen even back then.
ReplyDeleteI do know that the DA's office has been getting their asses handed to them on every major criminal case in at least the past 6 months. I believe the justice system works the majority of the time, so logic dictates something is amiss down at the da's office, either that or they are having a bout of incredibly bad luck.
Someone enlighten me on why the major news stations are not covering this?
what else has the da's office lost? seems like this one is on the ag's office - but i am not at the court house - so tell us what you got
ReplyDeletePilkinton obviously has political friends in high places. Cant blame the DA, just 12 people who did not do a good job as jury members. A blind monkey can see this guy was guilty.
ReplyDeletethe times, nov. 30 Attorneys say juror's alleged actions cause for new trial The juror, identified only as No. 8 in court filings, over a lunch break during the August trial is alleged to have armed herself with a baseball bat and unlawfully entered a home where her boyfriend was with another woman.The district attorney's office changed one word in the transcript of a 911 call. "This was a substantive change to comport with the state's theory that the women were outside arguing, suggesting that Nancy's statement to the deputies that she never went outside was wrong."
ReplyDeleteThe comment stating The Times article is not about the Pilkinton murder trial. It is about a trial in Minden of Bobby Ingrim. I'm not sure why the person posted that on this article.
ReplyDeleteThe Times has not covered this murder trial neither have any of the networks.
Thank you for covering this trial. Mr. Tobin was a good and Godly man and I hope and pray that his murderer gets what is coming to him. If Pilkinton doesn't pay in this life, he will in the next.
Keep up the good work.
It was posted because it is another example of the da office not doing their job.
ReplyDeleteim pretty sure this is not being handled by the ag office. marvin is not personally prosecuting it, but says they will take it back to another jury. the da's office lost a big sexual assault case as well recently
ReplyDeleteActually, Schuyler Marvin did not recuse himself. He asked for the AG's "assistance". He sat in as second chair for the trial, participated in voir dire, and argued motions. Interpret this as you would like. I just thought it was interesting to note.
ReplyDeleteWell, I am curious about why the Times, as well as 3, 6, & 12 has not covered the story. I also wonder about the defense side of the story. Whatever it was, this Gold must be a good lawyer to be able to sell it, at least well enough to get a hung jury.
ReplyDelete"Actually, Schuyler Marvin did not recuse himself."
ReplyDeleteYou are right, he did did not recuse himself. He did request assistance so Mr. Strider was appointed.
What a sad state of affairs! And all at the taxpayers' expense.
ReplyDeletePilkinton made a self defense claim and it obviously was believable to some of the jurors. Don't be too quick to judge, unless you heard the evidence.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, I thought we elected the DA to try the hard cases, not his assistants. Wait, I mean out of town prosecutors who aren't even from bossier.
It was a hung jury with a vote of
ReplyDelete6 Not Guilty and 6 Guilty. Mr Tobin was the instigator in this case and had been involved in a controversial multi year long cross country affair with Mr Pilkintons wife.
Mr Tobin should have stayed at his home in Ohio instead of returning to Bossier to borrow a friends pistol which helped lead up to the deadly confrontation at
Mr Pilkintons home.
What most people don't know,is that mr. Tobin was stationed out at barksdale for years.And was a retired Master Sargent, And had been being stalked by pilkinton.He had two restraining orders on pilkinton.But it didn't do him any good.Pilkinton hunted him down,ran him off the road and shot him through the back window of his car,with a rifle!Mr.Tobin ,had become friends through a prayer group with pilkintons soon to be ex wife.She was living apart from pilkinton.In her own house.This was cold blooded pre meditated murder!This was well thought out,and planned.
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tooth for a tooth is not right i have seen for my self if you seen death and still want to say that you people have know heart!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletewrite me if you think death for a death is right it is so not right!maryannpilkinton@yahoo.com
ReplyDeletemy brother David Lean Woods was murder in D.O.C. I was there it hurt! Man some of you people out there don't get the feeling of any kind of death like never want to feel that kind of pain ever!
ReplyDelete