Man agrees to deal in murder case

The man will be sentenced in August.

By John W. Goodwin Jr.

YOUNGSTOWN — A city man accused of several felonies, including two counts of aggravated murder, has agreed to a deal with the state that would land him in prison for a much shorter time.

Derrick Veal, 21, of Toledo, formerly of Youngstown, had been charged with two counts of aggravated murder, aggravated robbery and felonious assault. He has agreed to plead to illegally possessing a weapon and a firearm specification.

David Clinkscale, 19, of Park-cliff Avenue, was found fatally shot in the back in the dining room of a downstairs apartment in the 2300 block of Ohio Avenue on the city’s North Side in November 2007. Detectives said more than one person shot Clinkscale.

The occupant of an upstairs apartment reported hearing multiple gunshots, and police found bullet-impact marks on the walls, doors and ceiling.

Prosecutors have agreed to recommend a sentence of three years for Veal. There will also be a one-year sentence for the gun charge that will be served consecutive to the three-year recommended sentence. Veal would also get credit for the time he has spent in the Mahoning County jail.

Veal reached the agreement with prosecutors in the courtroom of Judge Maureen Sweeney of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court. He is represented by Atty. J. Gerald Ingram.

The deal is contingent upon Veal’s testifying against James E. Steward III, 17, of Thornton Avenue, who was indicted on the same charges initially lodged against Veal.

Steward, who was bound over from juvenile court in March 2008 for trial as an adult, is set for a jury trial to begin Aug. 17 before Judge Sweeney.

A second person, Tora Barnette, 20, of Upland Avenue, indicted with Veal on the same set of charges, entered into a plea agreement with the state earlier this month. Barnette pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter with a firearm specification, and the prosecution dropped all the other charges against him.

The prosecution and defense agreed he should serve four years for the voluntary manslaughter, plus three consecutive years for the firearm specification, for a total of seven years in prison.

Veal and Barnette will be formally sentenced in August.

Barnette and Veal were also indicted on a felonious-assault charge with a firearm specification, alleging an attack on Raymond Brooks on the same date as the Clinkscale shooting.

jgoodwin@vindy.com