Man pleads guilty in North Side murder

August 17, 2019 at 12:05a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

One of two defendants set to go on trial Monday for the 2016 murder of a Kensington Avenue man pleaded guilty Friday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to charges of murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Prosecutors are recommending a sentence of 21 years to life in prison for David Oliver, 26, for the Sept. 20, 2016, death of Andre Harrison, 34.

Police said Oliver and Jalon Allen, 24, killed Harrison during a robbery for drugs.

The crime was captured on video.

Allen will go on trial Monday before Judge Anthony Donofrio, who also accepted Oliver’s plea, which came after two and a half hours of discussions.

Oliver will be sentenced after Allen’s trial.

Harrison was found shot to death by police inside his North Side home. A coroner’s report said a witness heard a gunshot and then saw two men run from the home.

Police found bags of suspected marijuana and a scale in the home. In Harrison’s pockets police found bags of suspected marijuana and bags with a white powder inside, the coroner’s report said.

Both defendants had filed motions to have their cases heard separately, but Judge Donofrio had rejected them. Family members of Oliver were allowed in court to discuss the plea with him before the judge took the plea.