City man escapes death penalty with plea deal for 2005 murder

YOUNGSTOWN — A city man will not be put to death for his role in a 2005 murder, but he likely will never live as a free man again.

Antonio Jackson, 28, of Summer Street, was set to go on trial today for the Aug. 6, 2005, aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, kidnapping and rape, but instead accepted a plea agreement from prosecutors.

Jackson accepted the plea before Judge John Durkin of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Prosecutors, under the plea agreement, dropped certain forms of aggravated murder and kidnapping from the original indictment and removed the death-penalty specifications. Jackson pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated murder, three counts of kidnapping, three counts of aggravated robbery and rape.

As part of the plea agreement, the state recommended that Jackson be sentenced to two consecutive life terms without any possibility of parole for the aggravated murder charges, three years for the gun specifications and a combined 10 years for all other counts.

For the complete story, see Friday's Vindicator and Vindy.com