PLYMOUTH — A jury has cleared a second brother in the murder of Brockton’s Greg Grantsis.
On Monday, a Plymouth County Superior Court jury found Shamallah Jones of Dorchester not guilty of first-degree murder in the Nov. 9, 2021 killing. Three months ago, a different jury found his brother, Rula Jones of Brockton and Boston, not guilty of the same offense.
The verdict opens the possibility that no one will be held accountable for shooting Grantsis in the face during a confrontation outside the Tremont Street home of Vanessa Jones. She is mother of both Rula and Shamallah.
“The family is devastated,” said Brockton’s Scott Tariseau, Greg Grantsis’ father-in-law. He’s helping raise Greg Jr., Greg Grantsis’ 3-year-old son. The deceased also has a 16-year-old daughter.
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Reached Tuesday after the verdict came down, Tariseau said little Greg will never know his dad, among other consequences of the murder that have changed the family forever.
“When someone gets killed, it’s like you killed 20 people,” Tariseau said.
Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz responded to Monday’s “not guilty” verdict using similar terms as when Rula Jones was found not guilty.
“Our thoughts remain with the family of the victim in this case, Gregory Grantsis,” Cruz said in a statement. “The jury deliberated over three days to reach today’s verdict. We are disappointed, but we respect the work of the jury on this case.”
What both side said in court Jury to decide fate of second Jones brother in Brockton murder. What happened in court?
What happened on day of the shooting?
Prosecutors say Grantsis, 36, had been involved in a road-rage incident with Rula Jones, 26 at the time, who was driving a gray Infiniti. Grantsis, driving his Mazda with two friends in the car, had followed the Infinity to the area of 69 Tremont St. According to the commonwealth’s case, Shamallah Jones, then 25, driving a red Nissan Rogue, arrived at the scene shortly after Grantsis and the driver of the Infiniti.
Nearby cameras caught some of what happened. But no video played at trial showed who fired seven shots from a 45-caliber pistol, killing Grantsis and injuring one of his friends.
Prosecutors sought to prove via witness testimony that Shamallah Jones was the man seen running down Warren Avenue after the shooting with a gun.
Jurors cleared Shamallah Jones of all six charges he faced:
- First-degree murder
- Assault and battery with a dangerous weapon
- Aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon
- Armed assault with intent to murder
- Unlawful possession of a firearm
- Unlawful possession of a loaded firearm
A call to Shamallah Jones’ attorneys had not been returned at press time.
Witness intimidation charge not yet resolved
Prosecutors had also charged Vanessa Jones with witness intimidation. That case has not yet been resolved, according to court records. Further, the commonwealth had charged Shamallah Jones’ then-girlfriend, Ashley Severino, with witness intimidation and accessory to murder after the fact. Severino, however, testified at trial under a cooperation agreement, Judge Elaine M. Buckley told jurors. The deal’s terms were that in exchange for her truthful testimony, Buckley said, Severino would have the charges against her dropped.
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