A firearms instructor from the Ohio prison system appeared in a Pickaway County court on Wednesday for the first time in relation to the tragic shooting of a prison lieutenant during a training session in April.
In Pickaway County Common Pleas Court, David Pearson, a special operations commander from West Chester Township in Butler County, pleaded not guilty to a negligent homicide charge through his attorney. The indictment came after a county grand jury held Pearson responsible for the death of Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Lt. Rodney Osborne. Lt. Osborne, who was 43 years old and from Sciotodale, died on April 9 during a firearms training exercise.
Judge P. Randall Knece read the charge and granted Pearson a recognizance bond. Pearson could face a maximum sentence of 180 days in jail and a fine of $1,000 if found guilty.
The pretrial hearing for Pearson has been scheduled by Knece on September 13th as the next court date.
According to Bobbie Osborne, the wife of the victim, she is extremely upset with the grand jury’s ruling of not charging Pearson with more severe offenses.
According to records previously reported on by The Dispatch, the Ohio State Highway Patrol looked into the shooting and classified it as a case of reckless homicide. This offense is considered a third-degree felony and could result in a maximum of five years in prison.
Following the hearing, Pearson and his lawyer, Kevin Lennen, opted not to speak to the press.
Osborne’s colleagues administered CPR and didn’t wait for an ambulance. They transported him to Mount Carmel Grove City Hospital in the back of a pickup truck. Unfortunately, he was declared dead upon arrival.
Following the shooting, Pearson was swiftly put on administrative leave by the ODRC.