Jury Quickly Convicts Salem Man For Killing Man Outside Manchester Bar

MANCHESTER, NH — The jury in the case of John Delee, 23, of Salem who was charged with fatally shooting Timothy Pouliot, 24, returned a verdict Monday after deliberating for only about an hour.

Delee was found guilty on all charges, including two counts of second-degree murder and one count of reckless conduct, in connection with the shooting death of Pouliot, 24, of Manchester. The jury began deliberating Friday briefly before the court closed for the day. On Monday, when they returned to deliberating for a very short period, they notified the court they had a verdict.

Delee stood flanked by his two attorneys as the charges were read, and the jury gave the guilty verdict for each charge. Delee could face life in prison for the charges and didn’t appear to show any emotions.

After Judge William Delker thanked the jurors, they were dismissed. At this time, sentencing will be at 1:30 p.m. on March 8. At the sentencing, victim impact statements and statements of support for Delee by family and friends will be made.

When court officers led Delee from the courtroom, supporters said, “Hey, you’re still alive, buddy.” One man also yelled out, “There is light at the end of the tunnel.”

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Delee was on trial for the fatal shooting of Pouliot that occurred on Old Granite Street after they both left the Goat Bar and Grill in January. Pouliot died at the scene after an autopsy revealed he was shot multiple times when the suspect fired nine rounds. Pouliot was struck eight times; five of them were into the victim’s back.

The defense had presented a case that claimed Delee acted in self-defense and he feared for his life. Several times in the closing, the defense said the other men with Pouliot had pepper spray and Delee thought they might have guns. Also, they repeated eight times Pouliot was a trained mixed martial arts fighter and referred to him as a professional fighter.

Prosecutors brought several witnesses to testify that Delee was taunting people to fight starting inside the bar. One witness said he heard Delee say, “The next person to touch me gets shot,” and other witnesses saw him pull and “rack” his gun and then drop it about 10 minutes before the shooting.

“He was looking for a reason to use his gun,” NH Assistant Attorney General Rachael Harrington said. “And he got exactly what he wanted. This case is about rage, not fear. This case is about retribution, not protection. This case is about murder, not self-defense.”

The courtroom had several Manchester Police Officers who worked on the case. There were many court officers and Deputies from Hillsborough County to ensure the safety of everyone.

Outside of the courtroom, Senior Assistant Attorney General Scott Chase thanked the jury and said their team will now begin to focus on preparing for sentencing.

MPD Chief Allen Aldenberg said, “There are no winners here; a family lost a loved one, and parents now have a son that will go to prison for a significant amount of time.”

“This is a perfect example of how gun violence was completely avoidable. At the end of the day, though, actions have consequences,” he said.

Chase said that although Delee faces up to life in prison, there is a range of possible sentences; consideration will be made for punishment, rehabilitation, and deterrence.”

©Jeffrey Hastings www.frameofmindphoto.com/news