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Man pleads guilty in multiple shooting
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
Attorneys in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court are recommending a sentence of 20 years to life in prison for a man who pleaded guilty to a November 2015 shooting that killed one man and injured three others.
Sentencing will be at a later date for Daniel Harris, 37, who entered guilty pleas Tuesday before Judge John Durkin to charges of murder, four counts of felonious assault and being a felon in possession of a firearm, all with firearm specifications.
Harris is accused of killing Tony Brown, 34, of West Delason Avenue and wounding four others during an attack outside the Southern Tavern on Glenwood Avenue on the city’s South Side.
Police said he was trying to avenge the death of Thomas Owens, 33, who was killed a few days before as he sat in a parked car on West Myrtle Avenue.
Police said, however, Harris shot at the wrong people. Harris was wounded in the same shooting.
The pleas come on the day a jury was to be picked for Harris’ trial. Judge Durkin said in court he will uphold the recommendation by Assistant Prosecutor Dawn Cantalamessa and defense attorney John B. Juhasz.
Police said Harris saw Brown outside the bar and had words with him, then pulled a gun and fired several shots. Someone else had a gun as well and fired back, striking Harris, but detectives never said who returned fire.
Some of the rounds fired went through the wall and hit three of the victims inside the bar.
Harris gave a statement at the hospital that he was mad at Brown, investigators said.
Three men have been arrested in Owens’ death and two were tried, convicted and sentenced to long prison terms. Trial for the third defendant is set for later this year.