After a five day trial the jury finds Greg Hess not guilty of criminal solicitation to commit murder. Gregory Hess was accused of hiring a a hit man to kill his wife's lover. Hess, owner of Keystone Restorations Inc still faces several charges in separate cases.
Judge Thomas Kelley charged the jury Wednesday morning at 9:30 a.m. They began deliberating around 10:30 a.m.
The trial included testimony from Calvin Jones Jr. the alleged hit man that Hess attempted to hire. But, instead of going through with any plan Jones went to the police as an informant.
Hess testified in his own defense. He admitted on the stand to hiring Jones, but said it was to beat up Chris Ward, not kill him.
The defense questioned Jones' credibility because he admitted to lying under oath. Attorney Farley Holt also said police did a "piss-poor" investigation. Holt said his client is guilty of trying to have his wife's boyfriend beat up, but not killed.
Chief deputy Prosecutor Tim Barker, with the York County District Attorney's office closed arguments for the state saying Hess was angry over his wife's affair, and his anger was his motive to kill.
This is just one trial against Hess in a complicated series of murder-for-hire plots. Hess is also accused of trying to hire inmates to kill the informants who helped who helped prosecutors build their case against him.
The second trial involving Hess and two other alleged murder-for-hire plots has not been scheduled yet.