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Anthony White gets 28 years for '11 shooting
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
A woman said Wednesday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court that her aunt died in an October 2011 shooting trying to protect a child.
Carissa Lucky told Judge Maureen Sweeney that her aunt, Theresa Stillwagon, 29, was an innocent bystander and had nothing to do with an argument that preceded an Oct. 10, 2011, shooting by 31-year-old Anthony White of East Lucius Avenue across the street from their home.
Police said White was arguing with another man in the middle of the street when he retreated into his house, grabbed an AK-47 assault rifle and began firing toward a crowd across the street. Stillwagon and another man were seriously wounded, and Stillwagon later died from her wounds.
White was sentenced Wednesday to 28 years in prison on charges of involuntary manslaughter, five counts of felonious assault and a firearms specification. He entered guilty pleas to the charges in September. Prosecutors were asking for a sentence of more than 20 years, while White’s lawyer, Mark Lavelle, asked for a sentence ranging from 15 to 18 years.
Lucky said White did not care about his actions that day because he fired toward a house that had children inside. She said Stillwagon saved her nephew from serious injury.
“My aunt took that bullet because she stood in front of my nephew,” Lucky said.
Lucky asked for the longest sentence possible, saying 20 years or less would be an insult to her aunt.
“It’s not enough punishment for what he’s done,” Lucky said. “There was no excuse for it. None.”
Assistant Prosecutor Rob Andrews said a long sentence was necessary because of White’s conduct and also because he retreated into his house before he came back out with the rifle. Andrews said once he was inside he was safe and did not need to come out shooting. He also said White fled to Houston after the shooting and police had to track him down there.
Lavelle called two witnesses, including the lead investigator, Detective Sgt. Pat Kelly, who testified that White and another man were arguing in the street over a woman who was the mother of White’s child. That woman, Tamika Bellard, testified that the man White was fighting with had a weapon but she did not know if he fired it.