James was video arraigned on Feb. 22 in Franklin Municipal Court where a preliminary hearing was set for 2 p.m. Friday.
He is accused of shooting Timothy Lazier, 40, in the head during an altercation in the 900 block of Franklin Commons Court. Lazier was taken to Atrium Medical Center, then transported to Miami Valley Hospital but has since been released.
Police Chief Russ Whitman said no others were involved in the incident and that he did not expect any additional charges to be filed in the matter.
Whitman said police were dispatched Feb. 20 to the 600 block of Spring Avenue on a report of an assault at that address. However, James fled the scene. After police set up a perimeter with officers from several agencies in Warren County, James was eventually found and arrested.
James has a lengthy record in Franklin Municipal Court going back to 1997. While many of the 28 contacts with the court were for traffic infractions, James has been charged with failure to pay taxes, domestic violence, assault and aggravated menacing. He also had five cases in in Middletown Municipal Court from 2001 to 2011 that included disorderly conduct, petty theft and intoxication.
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