Woman pleads guilty to reduced charge in killing

The defendant faces six to 13 years in prison.

STAFF REPORT

YOUNGSTOWN — A 32-year-old Byron Street woman, who was originally charged with murder in the shooting death of her boyfriend, has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter.

Latoya G. Ingram entered her plea Wednesday before Judge Maureen A. Sweeney of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, who will sentence her at 10:30 a.m. March 25 for the June 2007 death of Sherman Moody, 54, of Logan Gate Road, Liberty.

Meghan L. Brundege, assistant county prosecutor, called for the maximum sentence of 10 years for the manslaughter and three consecutive years for the firearm specification, for a total of 13 years. Brundege said the victim’s family has consented to the plea agreement.

Based on her plea, the minimum prison sentence for Ingram would be six years.

If Ingram had been convicted of murder with a firearm specification, however, she would have faced 18 years to life in prison.

When police arrived at Ingram’s residence, where the shooting occurred, Ingram told them she felt threatened by Moody so she shot him. Moody was shot multiple times with a pistol, which police found at the scene, along with six spent shell casings.

Ingram’s lawyer, Douglas B. Taylor, withdrew her previous insanity plea before she pleaded guilty to the homicide charge.

Evaluations found Ingram both sane at the time of the shooting and competent to stand trial, but a psychologist found that she suffered from battered-woman syndrome because of her history of being in abusive relationships and that she was mentally ill, Taylor said.

“She felt it was necessary to carry a gun for her safety,” Taylor said after court.

Had the case gone to trial, battered-woman syndrome would have been a defense the jury would have considered, Taylor said. Ingram had no prior criminal record, Taylor said, adding that he’ll argue for the minimum prison sentence.

There was no sign of a struggle, and no other gun, drugs or alcohol were found in Ingram’s home, police said.