Warren man pleads guilty again connected to 2014 homicide

Staff report

WARREN

Beau Palmer, 31, of Clermont Street Northeast, has again pleaded guilty to several charges in connection with the April 7, 2014, shooting death of James Levels, 64, and wounding of Lisa Prater.

Palmer pleaded guilty Tuesday in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court to complicity to involuntary manslaughter, complicity to aggravated burglary, complicity to aggravated robbery, complicity to felonious assault and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

This time, Palmer got a 12-year prison sentence. His plea agreement calls for him to cooperate with prosecutors and testify truthfully at the trial of the alleged triggerman, Michael Settle, 27, of Sherman Avenue in Niles.

Settle’s trial is set for Sept. 8 before Judge Peter Kontos on charges of aggravated murder, aggravated burglary, felonious assault, tampering with evidence and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He could get a life prison sentence with no parole if convicted.

Palmer’s plea was heard by Judge Ronald Rice, who also heard his plea in January to the same charges. At that time, Palmer agreed to a 15-year prison term, but he later withdrew the plea.

Palmer is one of four men accused of participating in the killing of Levels and wounding of Prater at Prater’s home on Logan Avenue Northeast during a home-invasion robbery.

Prater, who was shot two times but survived, told police the incident began with two males entering the home to commit a robbery. Two others remained outside the home, prosecutors said.