Man On Trial For Shooting, Paralyzing Former Football Star

A man was wheeled into court in a hospital bed today, to testify in the trial of a suspect charged with leaving him paralyzed.

27 year old "Jon Davey Welch The Second" is accused of aggravated assault in the 2002 shooting of Sheldon Hebert.

Hebert's family says he was determined to testify .. no matter how hard it might be getting 'to' and 'from' court.

It's not easy for Sheldon Hebert to travel from one place to another. He needs help from an ambulance .. and medical workers.

But Sheldon says he's been waiting since 2002 to testify against a man charged with shooting him.. and he wasn't going to be stopped.  "It was tough but it's time, we're ready for some justice for Sheldon," said Charlotte Gill.

Charlotte Gill say's it's tough seeing her son in a hospital bed around the clock... 6 years ago, he was a high school football player in Winnie .. looking forward to playing in college.  "It's still hard, but not nearly as hard as it is for Sheldon, every day," said Gill.

Sheldon testified he was involved in a fight on december 30th 2002, near Dishman Elementary in Beaumont.

Hebert said he and his friends were mistakenly identified as thieves who stole some rims earlier that week.

Prosecutors say the fight ended when 'Jon Davey Welch The Second' fired a gun striking hebert in the back of the neck as he was trying to run away. 

"Very unfortunate series of events that night, that led to the injury for him, I feel very sorry for him and his family," said Perry Thomas. Thomas is the Prosecutor for this case. 

Welch says he felt threatened by the other people.  "I think this is a very tragic thing for all involved, poor judgment on everybody's part, said Hugh O'Fiel. O'Fiel is Welch's attorney.

Sheldon must live with the consequences .. and he wants welch to face responsibility for his actions. Judge Layne Walker will announce his decision on September 22nd.

If Welch is found guilty , he faces up to 20 years in prison.

A Southeast Texas soldier admits firing a shot that struck and paralyzed a former high school football player in 2002.

27 year old Jon Davey Welch II says he knows it was a dumb mistake, but at the time, he says he was doing what he thought he had to do to protect himself.

Welch is on trial for aggravated assault.

There were many sad moments in court Tuesday as families, friends and witnesses re-lived the tragic incident that left 17 year old Sheldon Hebert paralyzed from the neck down.

Welch took the stand in Judge Layne Walker's court. Welch joined the Army before the shooting and continues to serve. He is charged with shooting Sheldon Hebert in the back.

Witnesses say Welch was with a group of young people planning to fight others, including Hebert.

Witnesses say Welch stood up and out of the sunroof of a car and opened fire as others tried to break the windows of the vehicle he was in.

Welch and others in the car fled the scene.

Hebert, who was 17 at the time, was critically injured.

He was taken to a hospital after paramedics arrived.

Hebert's mother, Charolette Gill told KFDM News her son is a quadrapeligic, and she said his condition is terminal.

She told us he suffers every day and needs a nurse around-the-clock.

"It's finally time," Gill told KFDM News. "They've been waiting almost 6 years for justice to be served."

Hebert will testify Wednesday.

If convicted, Welch faces up to 20 years in prison.