Keeping Up With the Joneses

Philip Jones (pictured below) was called to the stand this week
to testify against his wife Malinda Jones (pictured above) for
being an accessory to the execution-style murder in July 2004 of
their son-in-law Jarrod Davidson. Philip pled guilty last year and
received a life sentence for pulling the trigger; his daughter
Kelee Davidson was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading
guilty to two counts of perjury and being an accessory after the
fact. Malinda Jones also first pled guilty to being an accessory to
the murder — which occurred in Santa Barbara — but backed out of a
plea bargain at the last minute, opting instead to plead not guilty
before a jury. Philip Jones’s testimony was chilling and
contradictory; he first stated he couldn’t recall whether or not
his wife was aware of his plans to commit the murder, but minutes
later, he affirmed her premeditated participation in the crime.
Philip Jones will be one of the last witnesses for the prosecution
before defense attorney Robert Landheer begins building a case for
her innocence as early as next week.

 — Clare Rolens