Jacob Burdett
MADERA COUNTY – The Madera County Sheriff’s Office has announced that no charges will be filed at this time in the shooting that occurred on Friday, Mar. 30 in Coarsegold.
Jacob Burdett, 25, of Coarsegold was arrested on Mar. 31 and charged with one count of murder and one count of attempted murder in the shooting of Ryan Prosser, 41, and Burdett’s 41-year-old mother.
Prosser died as a result of his injures, and the female victim was transported to a Valley hospital.
The Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation into the facts surrounding the shooting.
“After a careful review of current evidence with the Madera County District Attorney’s Office, it has been determined that murder and attempted murder charges against Jacob Burdett will not be filed at this time,” said the Sheriff’s Office in a statement released today.
“Charges may be sought in the future as all information and evidence related to this incident, including autopsy results, becomes available to the Sheriff’s Office for review and processing.”
Burdett’s attorney Mark Coleman told ABC30 that he was protecting his 7-month-old baby, his wife and himself when he shot and killed his mother’s boyfriend.
Coleman also said his client had visible injuries from the encounter with Prosser. He says Burdett’s wife was headed home on Friday when she was confronted by Prosser and Burdett’s mother Danelle.
“She was on her way home and encountered a dark vehicle alongside the road,” Coleman told ABC30. “She didn’t recognize the vehicle. As she tried to go around the vehicle, they pulled out, blocked her way, and Danelle got out of the vehicle, started banging on the car threatening her saying ‘I’m gonna kill you.'”
ABC30 also reports that in January the court granted Burdett and his wife guardianship of his 10-year-old sister, which has caused countless confrontations and family rifts. Court documents obtained by ABC30 show that just days before the incident, Madera County deputies were called out to Burdett’s home for a family dispute.
On the day of the shooting, Coleman says that Burdett had no other choice but to defend himself when Prosser – who reportedly has a long criminal history – grabbed his rifle. Burdett grabbed another gun and fired, said Coleman.
“He was being physically attacked,” said Coleman. “There were witnesses there who saw him [Prosser] and Danelle on top of Jacob beating him.”
Coleman says the evidence of the assault can be seen on Burdett’s face in his mugshot.
For complete details on this story, visit ABC30 Action News.
Burdett has been behind bars on a $1 million bond since his arrest.
The investigation into the incident continues.
