Judge affirms ruling in Ashton homicide case

DIXON – A Lee County judge Wednesday upheld his ruling that prosecutors cannot tell a jury that Ashton murder defendant Eric Lemons had sex with Kaylyn Gideon next to her roommate’s body.

Judge Ron Jacobson said such evidence is “extremely prejudicial” and would prevent Lemons from having a fair trial.

Prosecutors can tell the jury that the two had sex around the time of the murder, he said.

Lemons, 28, of Ashton, is charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the death of Todd Harn, also 28, who was killed in his Ashton apartment April 5.

Gideon, 22, is charged with obstructing justice for giving Lemons cleaning supplies to clean up Harn’s murder, prosecutors said.