HUNTINGDON, Pa. — An attorney representing a man sentenced to 17 to 40 years in prison for voluntary manslaughter plans to appeal to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Cole James Campbell, 33, was convicted for the fatal shooting of his neighbor, Timothy E. Skipper Jr., during a confrontation that stemmed from ongoing disputes about reckless driving on a residential road.
Campbell, who was initially charged with first-degree murder, faced a jury trial in October 2023. The jury acquitted him of murder but found him guilty on lesser charges of voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault. Following the verdict, Huntingdon County Judge George N. Zanic imposed a combined sentence that includes a 10 to 20-year term for the manslaughter conviction alongside sentences for the aggravated assault charges.
According to his defense attorney, Thomas M. Dickey, the appeal process is underway. Campbell insists that he acted in self-defense during the encounter in his home, where he shot Skipper three times after the two became embroiled in a heated argument. The incident occurred on April 2, 2022, when Skipper approached Campbell to express concerns about his excessive speeding along a narrow, poorly-maintained road in their neighborhood.
Court documents detail that tensions between the two men had been escalating, particularly after complaints about Campbell’s driving. Witnesses stated that the ongoing discord included multiple discussions about potential speed bumps on the road to mitigate the hazards posed by Campbell’s driving. On the day of the shooting, Skipper made a final attempt to address the recurring issue after seeing Campbell drive past their home at high speed.
The Pennsylvania Superior Court recently upheld Campbell’s conviction, ruling that he was not entitled to relief. In doing so, the judges adopted Zanic’s detailed 77-page opinion as part of their judgment, which included a thorough examination of video evidence from the encounter. This footage showed a series of escalating gestures between the two men, culminating in Campbell retrieving an AR-15-style rifle before the shooting.
The video evidence illustrated the rapid escalation of the confrontation. Following a brief struggle over the rifle, Campbell fired the first shot, striking Skipper in the leg. The following two shots were fired in quick succession, leading to Skipper’s attempts to flee the scene, only to collapse shortly after.
Judge Zanic’s opinion noted that Campbell’s assertion of fearing for his life was unfounded. The judge highlighted the jury’s discretion in not accepting Campbell’s self-defense narrative, which they deemed unreasonable given the circumstances. He emphasized that Campbell showed no remorse or empathy for Skipper or his family during the trial, and even expressed blame toward Skipper for the incident.
Zanic criticized Campbell’s lack of accountability, stating that he was more concerned about justifying his actions than showing compassion to Skipper’s grieving family. He noted that Campbell did not render assistance to the victim and instead focused on crafting a defense while Skipper lay injured.
Currently, Campbell is incarcerated at the State Correctional Institution in Houtzdale as his legal team prepares to appeal to the state’s highest court. The case has resonated deeply within the local community, drawing attention to issues of neighborhood safety and responsibility.