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Murder trial of Gregory gets under way

Gregory is on trial for the murder of Ronald Stanley Thompson

Kommika Katrice Gregory, 39, will argue that she was acting in self defense when she shot Ronald Stanley Thompson three times on Nov. 16, 2017 at her ex-boyfriend’s apartment.

Gregory went on trial Monday on a charge of Class AA felony murder and could face up to life in prison without parole if she is convicted.

During opening statements, her defense attorney, Steven Mottinger, said Gregory had heard an open phone conversation between her ex-boyfriend and an unidentified man in which her life was threatened. Mottinger said Gregory had obtained a gun for protection and had gone over to the ex-boyfriend’s apartment to find out what was going on. Gregory went into her ex-boyfriend’s bedroom and was trying to persuade him to leave with her. At some point she left the bedroom and went into the living room, where was confronted by Thompson, 58, who had been a guest of the ex-boyfriend. Thompson saw the gun in her pocket and she believed he was going to take the gun from her and shoot her. Thompson approached, she pushed him away and shot Thompson. She will say Thompson kept coming after her and she fired twice more.

Mottinger told the jury that Gregory plans to testify about what happened.

Ward County Deputy State’s Attorney Kelly Dillon, who also made her opening argument, told the jury that Gregory’s ex-boyfriend died this past summer.

The ex-boyfriend, who was the only other witness to the case, had earlier made statements to police about the shooting.

According to court documents, the ex-boyfriend claimed that he had been sleeping when he heard a knock on the door and Gregory came into his bedroom and demanded that he leave with her. He told police that Thompson then came into the bedroom and told Gregory she needed to leave. The ex-boyfriend then heard gunshots and came out into the living room to see that Thompson had been shot.

Gregory fled the apartment and was apprehended later that day near New Town. She has been held in custody at the Ward County Jail since her arrest.

The trial is scheduled to last through Friday, but Dillon told the jurors that she expects the case to only take a few days.

The jury began hearing witness testimony Monday afternoon following the opening statements.

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