Appeals court upholds sentence of man convicted of Meigs County murder

MEIGS COUNTY, Ohio (WOWK) – The Ohio Fourth District Court of Appeals has upheld the murder conviction and sentence of a man accused of murdering another man in Meigs County on Easter 2021.

According to Meigs County Prosecuting Attorney James K. Stanley, the decision came down on Aug. 29, 2025, to affirm the sentence of Jaquan Hall, 25, of Charleston, West Virginia. On Oct. 4, 2022,

Hall was convicted for the April 4, 2021, murder of Kane Roush, 25, of Pomeroy. He was sentenced on Nov. 14, 2022, to life in prison without parole.

Stanley says that on Dec. 9, 2022, Hall filed a notice of appeal over the decision.

According to the prosecutor, Hall claimed that the court erred by denying his motion for a change of venue, improperly excusing a Black person from the jury pool and permitting a relative of the victim to wear a “Justice for Kane” shirt in the courtroom. Stanley says Hall argued that his Fifth Sixth and Fourteenth Amendment rights were violated and that there was “insufficient evidence.” The prosecutor also says Hall also accused the court of impermissible victim impact evidence being admitted at trial and accused the prosecution of “prosecutorial misconduct.”

The prosecutor’s office says an oral argument took place on March 7, 2024, in the Vinton County Court of Common Pleas before a three-judge panel, focusing on Hall’s motion for a change of venue being denied and allegations that his Fifth Amendment rights were violated.

Stanley says the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals said they found no merit in the arguments However, they did add a supplemental brief recognizing a “defect” in the conspiracy charge of Hall’s indictment. The conviction for that conspiracy charge was vacated, but due to his other charges of aggravated murder, murder and complicity, his sentencing of life in prison without parole still stands.

“With the Fourth District’s decision, justice continues to be served for Kane and his family. I continue to pray for Kane’s parents and his other loved ones,” Stanley said. “I again thank the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office, the Meigs County Major Crimes Task Force, and Ohio BCI for their tireless work in this case.”

Earlier this year, the Ohio Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from Hall’s co-defendant Keontae Nelson, who was also sentenced to life without parole.

A third suspect, Richard Walker, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and burglary in September 2022 and was sentenced to 15-20.5 years behind bars with a chance of parole.