FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
| Date: | March 31, 2022 |
| Contact: | Emily Lowe Public Information Officer 208-287-7700 |
| RE: | State v. Ezra Smith – Jury Trial |
BOISE – After a two-day trial, a jury convicted 26-year-old Ezra Smith of three felonies from an incident that led to an officer-involved shooting last summer.
The jury convicted the defendant Wednesday on all counts, including aggravated battery upon certain law enforcement personnel, aggravated assault upon certain law enforcement personnel and a deadly weapon enhancement. Last week, Mr. Smith pled guilty to the felony crimes of grand theft, eluding a police officer in a motor vehicle, driving under the influence, possession of a controlled substance, and the misdemeanor crime of attempted petit theft, all of which he was charged in relation to this case.
Boise Police arrested Mr. Smith in July 2021 following an incident where he used a stolen van to elude law enforcement and ram a Boise Police patrol vehicle driven by an officer. He used the same van to threaten another Boise Police Officer, which resulted in the aggravated assault conviction. The event ended in an officer-involved shooting, and the defendant being apprehended.
Mr. Smith’s sentencing is set for June 7, 2022 before the Honorable Ada County District Judge Derrick O’Neill.
“Thank you to the jury for their time and attention to this case,” said Ada County Prosecutor Jan Bennetts.