After the trial, the Salmon man was acquitted of intentional manslaughter

SALMON — After a three-day jury trial, a Salmon man was acquitted of criminal charges after he was accused of shooting a child in the hand.

Jeffery Allen Hoffman was found not guilty of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, attempted voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault.

Hoffman’s attorney, Chip Giles of Blaser Oleson & Lloyd Attorneys at Law, told EastIdahoNews.com he is proud of the outcome of the trial.

“I’m glad justice prevailed in this case,” says Giles. “The twelve members of Lemhi County decided to do this in the interest of justice. I am proud and it was an honor to represent Dr. Hoffman.”

Background

According to a news release from the Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and a Salmon police officer responded to the home on March 12 after reports of a fight between Hoffman and another man, Ronald Benjamin Jenkins, during which shots were fired.

When they arrived, they learned that the child had been shot in the thumb. The child was taken to Steele Memorial Medical Center for his injuries.

Hoffman and Jenkins were arrested and booked into the Lemhi County Jail. Jenkins was charged with misdemeanor disturbing the peace, misdemeanor malicious damage to property and misdemeanor battery.

Jenkins initially pleaded guilty but later accepted a plea deal in which he agreed to plead guilty to misdemeanor disturbing the peace and misdemeanor malicious damage to property, and prosecutors agreed to dismiss the remaining charge.

On May 2, Jenkins was sentenced to two years of unsupervised probation for his role in the incident.