Man found guilty of murdering teen

Robert Jackson’s trial comes to a close

A Murphysboro man told a Jackson County jury that he was wrestling with his attacker for control of gun when it discharged and killed a Carbondale teen.

The jury didn’t buy the story and spent less than three hours in deliberation before convicting Robert Jackson, 22, of first-degree murder in the death of 17-year-old Carbondale Community High School student Kameron Allison.

Jackson maintained that Allison’s cousin, Ricardo Woods, 20, initially threatened him with a gun and demanded money after Jackson showed up to their house looking to buy marijuana.

He also pleaded self-defense in the shooting of Woods, whom he said he shot in the leg to stop Woods from attacking him. He then fled the house with the gun, which police have yet to find.

Jackson County State’s Attorney Mike Wepsiec made a statement after the trial, saying that Jackson’s self-defense plea was not convincing.

“I was more annoyed than concerned,” Wepsiec said. “I think this was just a fabrication that he came up with.”

Allison died four days after the shooting in the hospital from severe brain trauma, and Woods was treated for his injury and released. The shootings took place just before 1 a.m. on Dec. 26 at 606 W. Owens St.

Through this, Woods testified that he and Allison had asked Jackson to leave their home but he refused. When he finally did leave, Woods said Jackson came back shortly after with a gun and shot Allison in the head before turning the gun on him.

The jury’s decision to convict Jackson came as a relief to Allison’s parents, Brenda Gibbs and James Allison, who have been waiting over five months for closure in their son’s murder. Along with murder, Jackson was found guilty of aggravated battery with a firearm in the shooting of Woods.

“I don’t think the defense had a case,” Gibbs said. “We’ve been waiting a long time. It’s been very hard to sit through.”

The jury heard evidence for three days before making its decision. Blood and DNA evidence found on Jackson’s pants at the time of the arrest, along with forensic evidence that led specialists to believe Allison was shot accurately between the eyes at close range, were likely factors the jury looked at when deciding Jackson’s fate.

After the verdict was read, the judge denied bail at the prosecution’s request. Jackson awaits his sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for 1 p.m. Aug. 1 in the Jackson County Court House. He faces between 20 and 60 years in prison.

As Jackson was escorted from the courtroom, he told his mom and brother he loves them, and added, “It’s not over.”

Allison’s father, James, said he couldn’t have asked for a better outcome to the case, and said that many lives were saved now that Jackson is in prison, but it still pains him to see the violence that is going on every day.

“I wish that young kids would stop killing one another,” he said.

Reporter Brian Peach can be reached at [email protected]