Man gets eight years in East Side shooting

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A man charged with a shooting in August 2012 was sentenced to eight years in prison Friday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Judge Maureen Sweeney handed down the sentence to Kenyatta Collins, 38, who pleaded guilty to charges of attempted murder and aggravated robbery for the Aug. 14, 2012, shooting that wounded Eric Carter.

Police were called to the North Fruit Street area on the East Side just after 10 p.m. for a shooting. They arrived to find Carter sitting in a Cadillac, conscious but bleeding from gunshot wounds to the stomach.

Carter had been shot multiple times, police said.

The victim told police he had been shot by Collins, a lifelong friend. The victim told officers Collins invited him to the Himrod Progressive Club for drinks.

He said Collins shot him and robbed him of $250 after leaving the bar and walking to his car in the parking lot.

In court, Carter told Judge Sweeney he thought Collins should receive more prison time than eight years.

David Betras, Collins’ attorney, said his client did not fire the shots that wounded Carter but a co-defendant did. He also said they were to meet up with Carter to buy marijuana and that would have come out had the case gone to trial.

Carter also apologized but denied firing the shots. He said his co-defendant, Willie Daniel, 18, fired the shots that struck Carter.

Daniel is set for trial March 3 before Judge Sweeney, according to court records.