NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (Court TV) – A Massachusetts man has been found not guilty of manslaughter for the shooting death of his girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend.
Brian Camp, 24, was charged for the death of Johnathan Letendre, 27. A jury deliberated for several hours before returning a not guilty verdict.
According to testimony, Letendre broke into the home Camp shared with his girlfriend and their two children on Dec. 27, 2022, and attacked Camp as he slept.
Brian Camp testifies at his manslaughter trial Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. (Court TV)
Brooke Janik’s 911 call captured a nearly 20-minute physical altercation between Camp and Letendre. In the call played in court, Janik is hysterical as she describes the two men fighting and the first gunshot is heard. Approximately eight and a half minutes later, a second shot is recorded.
In their opening statement, prosecutors said Camp’s first shot was legally self-defense, but argued the second shot was “unnecessary” and “more force than reasonably needed to defend himself.”
Camp’s defense argued Letendre was still a threat and moving when the second shot was fired.
A medical examiner testified to recovering handcuffs from Letendre’s pocket during autopsy. Authorities also recovered a knife from his jacket that was found at the scene in the days after the shooting.
An investigation revealed that Janik and Letendre, who worked together, had briefly dated while she was separated from Camp earlier that year. Janik ultimately ended her relationship with Letendre to get back together with Camp. Court documents detail text messages Janik received from Letendre that reveal he was upset about their breakup.
DAILY TRIAL UPDATES
DAY 5 – 11/25/24
- The jury hears closing arguments
- The jury reaches a verdict
DAY 4 – 11/22/24
- Defendant Brian Camp testifies:
- Camp detailed fighting with Johnathan Letendre after he broke into Camp’s home. Camp said they fought for control over a shotgun before Camp ultimately shot Letendre with his 9mm handgun.
- The Commonwealth focused their cross-examination on the second gunshot wound to Johnathan Letendre.
- The defense rests. Closing arguments are expected Monday, Nov. 25.
DAY 3 – 11/21/24
- The Commonwealth rests after calling MSP Trooper Christopher Uliana
- Uliana collected and analyzed ballistics evidence from the scene and determined projectiles found in victim Letendre’s body were fired from Camp’s 9mm Sig Sauer handgun.
- Both sides asked Uliana about the proximity of cartridge casings to the victim’s body as part of the dispute over where Camp was standing when she shot Letendre the second time and if he needed to do so to defend himself.
- The defense begins it’s case by calling Shannon Samuelson, a friend of Brooke Janik, who also worked with Janik and Letendre at Dunkin Donuts.
- Samuelson testified she went to the home on Dec. 28, 2022, to collect items for Janik and her children.
- While grabbing items from the home, she noticed Letendre’s jacket on the couch. Samuelson said when she picked up the jacket, a knife fell out. She immediately called for Janik’s father, who was in the house with her, who said it wasn’t theirs. She testified that she then brought the knife outside to Janik, who called police.
DAY 2 – 11/20/24
- The jury is shown the remainder of Camp’s first police interview, recorded hours after the shooting.
- Camp said he expected the intruder (later identified as Letendre) to run out of the house.
- Camp said after the shooting, he put his gun on the railing and went upstairs to put on clothes. Camp said both shots were fired before he put clothes.
- At the time of the interview, he said he had no idea who Letendre was or his connection to Janik.
- Sgt. Michael O’Brian testified in the days after the scene was processed they were contacted about a jacket found in the house belonging to Letendre. Inside the jacket was a knife.
- The jury is shown multiple crime scene photos of the home, mapping out the physical altercation between Camp and Letendre, including a broken shotgun in the kitchen and bloodstains in the bedroom.
- Sgt. O’Brian testified that handcuffs were recovered from Letendre’s pocket during the autopsy.
- Forensic pathologist Dr. Andrew Elin, who conducted Letendre’s autopsy, said he had a gunshot wound to the head and torso, and numerous lacerations. Letendre’s toxicology test was negative for drugs or alcohol. Dr. Elin said the cause of death was gunshot wounds to the head and torso and multiple blunt force injuries.
DAY 1 – 11/19/24
- Brian Camp’s defense claims the defendant acted in self-defense when he killed Johnathan Letendre after he broke into Camp’s home. Following a physical altercation, Camp shot Letendre twice, however there were eight and a half minutes between the shots. Prosecutors argue after Camp lawfully shot Letendre in self-defense, he then took the law into his own hands and – out of retaliation or revenge – shot Letendre in the head minutes later.
- Jurors heard Brooke Janik’s roughly 20 minute 911 call. In the call, Camp and Letendre are heard fighting in the background.
- Jurors were shown police bodycam video from Trooper John Areche, who responded to the scene. In the video, Camp is seen covered in blood with his hands raised in the air outside the home.
- A portion of Brian Camp’s interview with police was played. In the interview, Camp said he awoke to Janik screaming and a guy standing in the doorway of their bedroom before Letendre attacked him.
