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Last updated on Monday, March 9, 2015
(BLOOMFIELD) - Greene County Prosecutor Jarrod Holtsclaw has ruled the February 12 stabbing death of 22-year-old Douglas Jay “D.J.” Lockhart a justified act of self-defense and no criminal charges will be filed.
Michael A. Rogers of Bloomfield stabbed Lockhart in the chest and applied pressure to the wound as he called 911 for help the evening of February 12 after the two were in a dispute at Rogers' home in the 300 block of South Lewis Street in Bloomfield.
Indiana State Police detectives have been leading the investigation with assistance from local law enforcement agencies. Holtsclaw received the death investigation file last week.
According to police, Lockhart entered Rogers' home uninvited and the two argued about Rogers past relationships with Abigail Chubb and missing Bloomfield resident Marina Boelter.
Lockhart then attacked Rogers, punching him in the head, knocked him down and pinned him to the floor. Rogers then stabbed Lockhart in the chest, got out from under him, called 911 and then attempted to stop the bleeding from Lockhart's wound.
Lockhart died at the scene from a stab wound to the chest.
Part of Holtsclaw's summary follows:
"Based upon the investigation conducted by the Indiana State Police, in cooperation with the agencies listed above, no criminal charges will be filed against Michael A. Rogers.
"The investigation, including the physical evidence, Rogers' 911 call and the interviews conducted with Rogers and Lockhart's friend, Abigail Chubb, revealed that Rogers was acting in self-defense when he stabbed Lockhart inside his own home.
"The evidence showed that Lockhart and Chubb traveled to the Rogers residence so that Lockhart could confront Rogers over Rogers' prior relationship with Lockhart's ex-girlfriend, Marina Boelter.
"Chubb had tried to persuade Lockhart not to confront Rogers, but he went into the home without her. Chubb was able to hear the physical confrontation from outside the home.
"Once inside the Rogers home, Lockhart confronted Rogers over his prior relationships with Marina Boelter and Abigail Chubb. Lockhart then began to fight with Rogers, knocking him down onto the kitchen floor of the home and punching him in the head.
"Rogers stabbed Lockhart with a knife that had been knocked to the floor during the fight, while Lockhart was on top of Rogers. After stabbing Lockhart, Rogers was able to free himself and he then began assisting Lockhart and called 911.
"Under Indiana Code 35-41-3-2, a person is justified in using deadly force and does not have a duty to retreat if the person reasonably believes that the force is necessary to prevent serious bodily injury or death or the commission of a forcible felony.
"Further, a person is justified in using reasonable force, including deadly force, against another person and does not have a duty to retreat if the person reasonably believes that the force is necessary to prevent or terminate the other person's unlawful entry of or attack on the person's dwelling, curtilage or occupied motor vehicle.
"Therefore, based upon the facts of this particular incident, Michael A. Rogers was justified under Indiana Law in stabbing Douglas J. Lockhart in order to protect himself from serious bodily injury while in his own home."
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