PORT ANGELES — A jury took just less than four hours to find Brian Lee Lester guilty of attempted second-degree murder and felony harassment, both with firearm enhancements, for shooting at a car driven by his cousin last spring.
Jurors on Thursday declined to convict Lester, 39, of the more serious charge of attempted first-degree murder, determining instead that the attack on Michael Lynch was not premeditated.
Attempted second-degree murder is a Class A felony. Felony harassment is a Class C felony.
Depending on how the court determines Lester’s offender score, his sentencing range could be from a little more than 7 1/2 years to 14 1/2 years, plus two years for the deadly weapon enhancement.
Sentencing by Clallam County Superior Court Judge Brent Basden is scheduled for Jan. 6.
Clallam County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Matthew Roberson represented the state during thetrial.
Lester had pleaded not guilty to the charges. He was represented by public defender Charles Commeree.
The case stemmed from an incident on March 27 at the 9/11 Memorial Waterfront Park on Francis Street in Port Angeles. According to testimony and the probable cause report, Lynch and Lester’s former partner, Dorothy Hunt-Wood, were sleeping in a Kia Rio at the site when Lester arrived and began hitting Lynch, who was in the driver’s seat.
The fight moved outside to the parking lot, and Lynch eventually got back inside the vehicle. When he tried to drive away, however, Lester’s Dodge Durango blocked the narrow access road, preventing Lynch from leaving.
Lester shot at the Kia and the bullet lodged in the B-pillar between the front and back seats, according to police testimony and forensic evidence.
Lynch said Lester had threatened him with statements like “I’m going to kill you” and “you’re going to be dead,” forming the basis for the felony harassment charge.
