THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 19, 1995 TAG: 9501190399
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ANGELITA PLEMMER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 75 lines
For Jason P. Tisdale, sending a former co-worker a dozen yellow roses was just an innocent gesture of friendship.
On two consecutive days in April, the 20-year-old Tidewater Community College student sent roses to Stacey Peters at Office Max.
But Brian R. Moon saw the gesture in a different light.
Moon, who had worked with both Peters and Tisdale at the store, was convinced that Tisdale was competing for Peters' affection.
At least that's the story that Tisdale, a Princess Anne High School graduate, told a Circuit Court judge. Tisdale said that when he shot Moon five times last May outside the store where the three had worked, he had done so in self-defense.
But Judge Kenneth N.Whitehurst was not convinced. On Wednesday he found Tisdale guilty of first-degree murder. Tisdale could receive life in prison when he is sentenced March 22.
``I didn't want to do it,'' Tisdale said, crying on the stand. ``I know I think about it every day.''
Tisdale said he and Moon met at the store's deserted parking lot May 9 at Moon's request.
``My mind was basically expecting to talk to Brian,'' Tisdale said. ``I didn't expect to use the gun.''
Moon, 28, was married and a father, but he and Peters had gotten engaged and planned to marry this year in May or June. Moon and Tisdale had been friends since the fall 1991. Moon had tried to have Tisdale rehired at Office Max after he left to start college.
Prosecutors said that Tisdale gave police conflicting accounts of the incident and that the evidence proved the killing was premeditated.
``It wasn't `one bullet, then I'll scare you and run,' '' said prosecutor Walt Brudzinski. ``There were five'' bullets.
Prosecutors told how Tisdale parked his car several blocks away from Office Max on a side street in Pocahontas Village and walked to the store.
Moon, who was working late with several other employees taking inventory, was taking a break outside. Walking toward his car carrying a flashlight, according to one witness, Moon came face-to-face with Tisdale.
Tisdale testified that after the two exchanged words, Moon got into his gray Thunderbird and reached toward the passenger's side.
Afraid Moon might have a weapon, Tisdale said, he pulled his mother's loaded .22-caliber handgun from his sweatshirt pocket and began firing.
After the shooting, Tisdale ran to his car, drove home and changed clothes. He returned to the store parking lot and asked several employees what had happened.
``What the defendant has shown is that he's a time bomb capable of cold, calculating murder,'' Brudzinski said. ``He took the gun to the scene with the intent to kill.''
After a police investigation, Tisdale admitted the crime. In a videotaped confession, he maintained that he feared for his life because he thought Moon was reaching under the seat for a gun.
``I thought he was reaching for a weapon,'' Tisdale said. ``I just remember seeing something black in his hand.''
Before their feud began, Tisdale said, Moon had showed him a gun he stored under the passenger seat of his car. Police found no weapon in Moon's car, however.
Tisdale also alleged that Moon had physically threatened and harassed him on several occasions. ILLUSTRATION: Color illustration
Jason P. Tisdale
B\W Photo
Brian R. Moon
KEYWORDS: MURDER SHOOTING TRIAL VERDICT GUILTY by CNB