Judge sentences man for shooting at police

‘Send a message that it is never open season on the police,’ a prosecutor urged the judge.

By PETER H. MILLIKEN

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

YOUNGSTOWN — A 19-year-old Glenwood Avenue man who fired an assault rifle at pursuing police from a car has been sentenced to 105 years in prison, to be served after he completes a 25-year-to-life sentence for an unrelated robbery and murder.

As requested by the prosecution, Judge James C. Evans of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court imposed maximum consecutive sentences Monday on Craig Franklin Jr. for shooting at police from a Cadillac that had been carjacked from a church secretary July 1, 2005, on the city’s East Side.

Franklin, who was convicted by a jury Friday of firing at seven police officers, drew seven consecutive five-year prison terms for the gun specifications and seven consecutive 10-year prison terms for felonious assault.

“A man who tries to kill the police, a man already convicted of murder and aggravated robbery, should never see the outside of a prison. Send a message that it is never open season on the police,” Timothy Franken, chief trial lawyer in the county prosecutor’s office, urged the judge. Franken, who displayed the assault rifle Franklin fired at police, added that Franklin showed no remorse.

Defense argument

Noting that Franklin was only 17 on July 1, 2005, Franklin’s lawyer, Ron Yarwood, called for concurrent sentences of less than 10 years on the felonious assault counts. Yarwood also said the gun specifications should merge into one five-year sentence because they all stem from the same incident and because Franklin fired only one gun.

But Franken argued they should not merge because Franklin fired not only from the car, but also while on foot, and because he should also be held responsible for his complicity with others who are alleged to have fired from the car.

“At your rather young age and small stature, you appear to be the leader of the pack,” Judge Evans told Franklin. Anyone who would fire on police “is not deserving of any consideration by this court,” the judge said.

“It’s highly unlikely that you’re going to see the outside,” he added.

The three other men prosecutors say were in the Cadillac will be tried individually. They are: Brandon C. Jackson, 23, of Truesdale Avenue; Duniek Christian, 22, of North Garland Avenue; and Jumal Edwards, 23, of Woodcrest Avenue. The chase led to evacuation of the Mahoning County Department of Job and Family Services, then on Garland Avenue, and a six-hour manhunt. There were no injuries.

Store robbery

Franklin is serving 25 years to life in prison for robbery and murder convictions stemming from a May 21, 2005, encounter at Atway’s Market on Lexington Avenue. There, the store owner, acting in self-defense, shot and killed Eric Farmer, 15, of St. Louis Avenue, an accomplice of Franklin’s in the robbery. Prosecutors said Franklin was responsible for Farmer’s death because he knew the store and organized the robbery.

Several of the officers Franklin shot at July 1, 2005, were present for the sentencing, but neither they nor Franklin spoke in court.