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Young murderer gets 23 years to life in prison
YOUNGSTOWN
A 20-year-old man was sentenced to 23 years to life in prison for the April 29, 2013, murder of a 26-year-old man during a North Side drug deal.
Kalontae Carter, of Norwood Avenue, who was only 17 at the time, drew the prison time Monday from Judge Lou A. D’Apolito of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.
A jury convicted Carter this month on all counts in the shooting death of Kristopher Stuart in Stuart’s Elm Street residence.
The jury convicted Carter of aggravated murder, murder, aggravated robbery and felonious assault with firearm specifications.
Before the trial, Carter rejected a plea deal, in which prosecutors offered to recommend a 14-year prison term.
“His behavior that night demonstrated a callous disregard for human life,” said Nicholas Brevetta, an assistant county prosecutor, who called for a prison term of 28 years to life.
“My client didn’t kill anyone,” Carter’s lawyer, Jeffrey Limbian, said after court. Limbian said an appeal of the conviction and sentence will be filed and that he believes Carter is innocent of any crime.
Limbian observed in court the prosecution initially said his client was complicit in a murder, but later referred to him as the main offender, who fired the fatal shots.
The all-white jury, which misunderstood street slang, believed a “bop” was a robbery, but the term actually refers to a drug deal, Limbian said.
Upon Limbian’s advice, Carter did not address the judge before he was sentenced.
Carter and his uncle, DeJuan Thomas, 33, were indicted in the slaying of Stuart, who was found dead with a .357-caliber revolver next to him.
Stuart had been shot 11 times with two .40-caliber handguns, which police never found.
Carter and Thomas were wounded in the shooting, which prosecutors said occurred after they had gone to Stuart’s residence to rob him of drugs.
Thomas was fatally shot Feb. 7, 2015, outside a South Side bar in an unrelated case.
Earl Price, 42, who pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in Thomas’ death and to being a felon in possession of a firearm, with firearm specifications and repeat violent-offender specifications, was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
“The cocktail of drugs and money ends up with a horrible result each time, and, sometimes, the ultimate price is paid,” Judge D’Apolito said of the Elm Street case.
“I know you’re young. And I know this sentence is long, and, in your mind, it’s a lifetime; but you will some day have the opportunity to move on, I would suspect,” the judge told Carter.
“It’s your obligation, if you’re smart, to get yourself prepared for that day and be ready for the opportunity to move on with your life,” the judge added.
As deputies were preparing to escort Carter out of the courtroom after his sentencing, a female courtroom spectator shouted to Carter: “Keep the faith and keep your head up.”