A bicyclist stands trial for fatally shooting an immigration attorney during a fateful road rage incident in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin Prosecutors in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, say Theodore Malcolm Edgecomb, 32, was the aggressor when he killed Jason Cleereman, 54. The defense is poised to argue, however, that the victim started the fight. You can watch in the player above.
Edgecomb killed Cleereman on Sept. 22, 2020. The judge ruled that jurors can see video of him punching the man, according to The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Theodore Malcolm Edgecomb
Bicyclist Edgecomb and car passenger Cleereman had exchanged words, in the version of events reported by the outlet. Edgecomb allegedly punched the man while stopped, then left. Cleereman and his wife, who was driving the car, allegedly followed. Victim Cleereman allegedly got out of the vehicle. Edgecomb, who is Black, claimed that Cleereman, who was white, called him the N-word, instigating the punch. In this version of events, Cleereman called him the word again, and threatened to kill him.
Cleereman’s family denied this in no uncertain terms through an attorney. They described the slain man as a devoted immigration attorney, who worked with people of all backgrounds and to learn about their cultures.
“For his wife, family, and many friends to be forced to respond to disgraceful and outright lies that he was threatening or used racist language – when anyone who ever met Jason would laugh at the very idea of that – is beyond offensive,” the statement read in the statement obtained by WDJT.
They maintained the defendant was indeed the aggressor.
“Mr. Cleereman produced no weapon, he threw no blows, and Theodore Edgecomb shot and killed Jason right in front of his wife, who was getting out of their car and saw her husband killed,” the statement read.
Edgecomb pleaded guilty before jury selection to two counts of bail jumping because he had a gun while facing charges for domestic violence and first-offense drunken driving with injuries. That leaves the count of first-degree intentional homicide.
[Jail photo via Milwaukee County Jail]