Toledo man with life sentence is denied change in term

9/26/2007

Two years after Jason Simons was ordered to serve life in prison for the 2004 shooting death of a man outside an elementary school, he learned yesterday that there will be no change in his sentence.

The 25-year-old Toledo man returned to Lucas County Common Pleas Court yesterday after the 6th District Court of Appeals determined that the judge did not use language at his original sentencing pursuant to an Ohio Supreme Court decision that struck down portions of the state s sentencing law.

The law was intended to provide guidance to judges in meting out punishment and give consistency in sentencing.

Yesterday, Judge Charles Doneghy imposed a life sentence for complicity to commit aggravated murder and a five-year sentence for complicity to commit aggravated burglary. Simons will be eligible for parole in 21 years.

He was convicted by a jury in October, 2005, for his role in the shooting death June 7, 2004, of Randy Johnson during a robbery in front of Jackman Elementary School.

Bradley Zasada, who was with Simons at the time, pleaded guilty in September, 2005, to involuntary manslaughter and is serving an 18-year sentence.