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Austin gets life without parole/Henderson gets 36 to life
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
Forgiveness, and the struggle for forgiveness, were on the minds of family members Wednesday of the people Michael Austin and Hakeem Henderson were convicted of killing.
Sally Cox, grandmother of Raymond “Ramel” Hayes, said she has forgiven Austin, 22, and Henderson, 24, and “I will not allow them to take space in my head.”
But Iris Pippen, mother of Keara McCullough, said she is struggling because of the attitude of the defendants.
“How do I forgive someone who hasn’t asked to be forgiven?” Pippen asked Judge John Durkin.
Austin was convicted May 5 in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court of the aggravated murders of Adam Christian, 23, and Hayes, 20, on Nov. 13 and 16, 2011, respectively, and aggravated murder and murder for the deaths of Ryan Slade, 20, and McCullough, 19, when they were shot in a car September 2012 on Benford Lane.
Austin was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison with no parole, and Henderson received a sentence of 36 years to life in prison.
Henderson was convicted the same day of aggravated murder for the deaths of Christian and Hayes but not guilty of the deaths of Slade and McCullough. Both men also were convicted of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.
Prosecutors said they acted as enforcers for an East Side drug ring, and Austin did the killing and Henderson was the driver.
Christian was the leader of a street gang while Hayes was killed because it was thought he would talk too much about Christian’s death, prosecutors said.
Slade was killed because he slapped the girlfriend of one of the leaders of the ring, and McCullough was an innocent bystander who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Also speaking was Slade’s aunt, Regina Slade; and Hayes’ brother Marvin Hayes and sister Sierra Hayes. No one spoke on behalf of Christian.
Assistant Prosecutor Martin Desmond asked for maximum sentences of life with no parole for both men, saying their crimes were horrifying.
“Their actions were so brazen, so bold, so cunning, so selfish, it’s hard to find any redeeming quality to not feel the way I feel,” Desmond said.
Cox said she has forgiven both but said she thinks Henderson can be saved someday. Of Austin, Cox said, “He has no soul.”
Marvin Hayes also said he feels Henderson can be saved. He said he has been struggling since his brother was killed.
“When you have breath you can change,” Marvin Hayes said. “When Ramel was taken from me, I lost hope.”
Henderson and Austin maintained their innocence. Austin read from a handwritten statement, quoted from Malcolm X, and said he did not receive a fair trial nor was he judged by a jury of his peers. He called the case a “spectacle.”
“People I never knew were alleging we had conversations,” Austin said of witnesses who testified during the trial.
Austin also said there are several misconceptions about him and Henderson.
“To know us is to love us,” Austin said.
Henderson told family members of the victims he was sorry. but he also said he was innocent. Both men are appealing their convictions.
Judge Durkin addressed both men individually, saying that he did believe Henderson may have some good in him, which is why he ran concurrent the sentences of 30 years to life in prison for murder plus 11 years for the corrupt activity charge and the two firearm specifications of three years each on the aggravated murders.
As for Austin, the judge said he has been practicing law for 31 years and he has never seen a case such as this.
Judge Durkin said Austin needs to stay in prison for the rest of his life so the community can be protected from him.
“I am convinced if there is ever an opportunity for you to hit the streets again, you would pick up right where you left off,” Judge Durkin said.
“Our society cannot and our community will not tolerate such brutal conduct.”