Marvin Jermane Davis
A man who fatally shot and beat another man at a public housing site has been sentenced to 18 years in state prison.
Marvin Jermane Davis, 51, got six years for voluntary manslaughter and 12 years for use of a weapon by a felon in commission of a crime. Judge Barry Steelman said the cases are to be served consecutively.
The judge noted that Davis has had 21 criminal convictions and been in trouble with the law since he was a juvenile.
The incident involved a January 2020 dispute between Davis and 32-year-old Michael Eric Williams.
Judge Steelman noted that one witness said Williams had said he was looking for Davis and "had something for him." He said there was also testimony that Williams took off his shirt and came toward Davis.
Police said Davis responded by pulling a pistol and emptying it on Williams. He then used the butt of the gun to hit him repeatedly.
Williams died after being in the hospital almost five months.
Prosecutor Jason Demastus said he did not agree with the jury verdict, saying Davis should have been convicted of first-degree murder or at least second-degree murder.
He said many of Davis' prior arrests related to guns or assaults, as well as drugs.
The prosecutor noted that the attack "happened in a very public place" with many people around.
Attorney Dan Ripper said video of the incident showed Williams had Davis by the leg during the incident.
He noted that since Davis had been let out of jail last August he had gotten in no further trouble.
He was freed after he had already spent four years and eight months in jail and the trial was not yet ready to go.