CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WVEC) -- The attorney for a former security guard who allegedly shot and killed a man who was playing Pokemon Go said his client's trial has been pushed back.
23-year-old Jonathan Cromwell is facing first-degree murder charges in the death of 60-year-old Jiansheng Chen.
Cromwell's murder trial was originally scheduled to begin on Monday, but according to his lawyer Andrew Sacks, a judge granted a continuance request after the defense received information "pertaining to an incident allegedly involving the alleged victim, Mr. Chen, and certain third parties, in 2001."
Details about the 2001 incident were not revealed, but Sacks said it "could be vital to the claim of self-defense at the center of this case."
Back in January 2017, Cromwell was working as a security guard. He spotted Chen in his minivan at a residential parking while patrolling the River Walk neighborhood.
Cromwell claims Chen was a repeat trespasser and that Chen tried to run him over. His attorney has said Cromwell acted in self-defense and that if he didn't shoot, he would have been hit.
However, the Commonwealth's attorney said there was no evidence Chen's car was moving and argued the bullet positioning proves Cromwell can't argue self-defense. The commonwealth argued Cromwell first shot through Chen's driver side window, then moved to the front of Chen's car, shooting five more times.
Chen's family says he was playing Pokemon Go when he was shot.
No new trial date has been set, but Sacks said it will be established on Friday.
