Jury convicts David Jungerman in slaying of Kansas City attorney

[Hammock Parties]

only took them 5 years

https://www.kmbc.com/article/jury-de...snd-autopilot#

Jurors on Thursday convicted an 84-year-old man in the killing of an attorney outside his Brookside home in 2017.

David Jungerman was found guilty of first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the fatal shooting of Tom Pickert after the attorney won a multi-million-dollar judgment against him on behalf of a client.

Jurors received the case at about 3 p.m. Thursday and returned the verdict shortly after 5 p.m.

Right after verdict was read, KMBC's Matt Flener reported that it appeared Jungerman said "Thanks for…" to the jury. Flener said he could not hear the rest of what Jungerman said. One female juror looked at him briefly, then turned back to the judge. Jury left without talking to reporters or attorneys.

Jungerman's attorney Daniel Ross said that he noticed several trial errors and plans to file an appeal.

"We are very, very thankful that the jury has spoken and that justice has finally been brought to this family," said Tim Dollar, with the Jackson County prosecutor's office.

During opening statements, an audio recording was played of Jungerman bragging about the murder to his farmhand.

"The thing that sort of bothers me about me is that when I think about it, I grin. That (expletive) has caused me a lot of trouble," Jungerman was heard saying on the audio recording.

Jungerman's defense attorneys said roughly a quarter of that recording is missing from evidence, citing multiple problems with the police investigation.

Pickert's widow, Emily Reigel, also testified in the trial providing key details about the Oct. 25, 2017, shooting.

She said she was getting ready for work on the morning of the shooting. She said she heard her husband on the phone outside talking to someone when she heard a loud noise. She called out to him and then heard another noise. She also told the jury she saw a white van and a man in a mask leaving the scene.

She later found her husband shot on the sidewalk leading up to their Brookside home.

Detectives said that before the shooting, Pickert won a jury verdict of $5.75 million against Jungerman on behalf of his client, who was shot on Jungerman's business property.

The sentencing for Jungerman is set for Nov. 18. He waived jury sentencing and will let Judge John M. Torrence decide. Jungerman faces life in prison.