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Man pleads guilty to lesser charge in death
Another defendant remains charged with the homicide.
YOUNGSTOWN — The driver of a car from which shots were fired, killing one 17-year-old and wounding another, in a drive-by shooting on Ford Avenue has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of obstructing justice.
Robert Jackson, 20, of East Evergreen Avenue pleaded guilty Tuesday to the third-degree felony, which was substituted for an aggravated murder charge in the May 26, 2007, death of Maressia Patterson of Upland Avenue.
Jackson entered his plea before Judge Lou A. D’Apolito of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, who will sentence him at a later date. Jackson, who remains free on bond, could receive probation or one to five years in prison.
Martin P. Desmond, assistant county prosecutor, dropped five attempted-murder counts against Jackson, which refer to five other people who were shot at, including Akeem Minor of Lauderdale Avenue, who was hit by gunfire, but survived. The prosecutor also dropped all firearm specifications against Jackson.
As part of the plea deal, Jackson agreed to testify against his front- seat passenger, Deon Glenn, 20, of Glenwood Avenue, the alleged gunman, who remains charged with aggravated murder and five counts of attempted murder with firearm specifications.
Desmond said he made the plea agreement because there is no evidence that Jackson knew that Glenn had a gun on him or intended to shoot anyone, so Jackson could not properly be charged with complicity to the shootings.
The obstruction-of-justice charge lodged against Jackson, however, alleges that Jackson and another man removed shell casings from the car after the shooting.
Patterson, who was fatally shot in the back, and Minor had left a party on Lora Avenue and were walking on Ford Avenue on the city’s North Side when gunfire erupted from the car at 12:30 a.m., police said.
Witnesses told police the shooting resulted from an ongoing online feud between groups at Chaney High School and the former Rayen School. Witnesses told police six or seven shots were fired from the car between Norwood and Crandall avenues.
Jackson’s lawyer, J. Gerald Ingram said, he client was not an accomplice involved in the aggravated murder. “What he did do wrong is obstruction of justice,” Ingram added.
Two back-seat passengers in the car were not charged with any crime.
milliken@vindy.com