Man who allegedly killed Antioch clerk during robbery avoids murder charge due to self-defense issue
MARTINEZ — In a stunning twist, a man who allegedly fatally shot an Antioch Chevron gas station clerk after robbing the store will not be charged with murder after Contra Costa prosecutors determined the victim chased the suspect and fired first.
Ronald Jackson Jr., the suspected armed robber, was charged with a count of robbery involving use of a firearm, court records show. But prosecutors declined to charge him with murder or manslaughter for allegedly killing the clerk, 36-year-old James Williams Jr.
According to authorities, Jackson went into the Chevron in the 2700 of Contra Loma Boulevard in Antioch around 2 a.m. Saturday armed with a gun and proceeded to demand money from the register. After he left the store, Williams retrieved his own firearm and chased after Jackson, shooting him as he ran away.
Jackson fell to the ground with a gunshot wound to his leg. Williams continued to pursue Jackson, firing as he did so. That’s when Jackson fired, killing Williams, according to authorities.
Police say they’re searching for a second suspect who escaped the area uninjured. The entire incident was caught on camera, authorities said.
Williams’ girlfriend and co-worker, Annette Matamoroz, told the ABC7 news that Williams warned her they were being robbed and told her to seek shelter. She said a few moments later he staggered back into the store, bleeding from a gunshot wound, and fell to the ground.
The decision against filing charges comes down to whether prosecutors feel confident in proving that Jackson had no viable self-defense claim. Given Jackson’s alleged involvement in a violent crime, it’s a thorny legal issue that relies on the District Attorney’s legal interpretation.
Two main legal points are at play: First, a robbery has not yet been completed until the robber retreats to a position of safety, meaning it was still technically ongoing when Jackson was shot. Secondly, a robbery victim’s response must be legally justified; they’re not allowed to pursue a robber for an unreasonable length of time and attempt to kill them.
Similar cases are few and far between.
In 2016, an Antioch man who was robbed during a suspected drug deal was not charged for fatally shooting the suspect in the back — as the man drove away in his car — on the basis that prosecutors believed he had a reasonable fear that the robber was going to return and hurt him. In 2019, Solano County prosecutors declined to charge an off-duty Richmond officer who shot and killed a man who had pulled a gun during an argument, but was frantically running away.
Jackson remains hospitalized with a gunshot wound, pending transfer to the county jail. He was also charged with possession of a stolen motorcycle, although the motorcycle was not used in the alleged robbery, according to court records.