Man’s self-defense claimearns acquittal

Guilty verdict handed down on weapons violations.

A Warrensville AKRON —

Heights man said he feared for his lifewhen he shot and killed an unarmed Cleveland man in January outside of a Barberton apartment.

A Summit County jury believed Antonio Parra’s self-defense claim and acquitted him this week of murder and felonious assault. The same jury, however, found Parra guilty of two weapons charges.

Summit County Common Pleas Judge Joy Malek Oldfield sentenced Parra to three years in prison Wednesday for these charges, noting that had Parra not had a gun, the outcome likely would have been different.

“I hopewhenever you get out of prison you appreciate that a jury acquitted you of serious charges,” Oldfield said. “I hope you do something positive and productive with your life.”

Prosecutors say Parra, 28, shot and killed Justin Randle, 27, about 2 a.m. Jan. 14 in the 300 block of Michigan Place. Parrawas the passenger in a car drivenbyAkiria Taylor, his girlfriend.

Randle, who was shot twice, was transported to SummaAkron CityHospital, where he died the next day.

Parra, who testified in his weeklong trial, said he rode with Taylor fromCleveland to Barberton. He said he was waiting in the car for her when Randle, who had just been in a fight in the apartment Taylor was visiting, threatened Parra and attempted to get into the car. Parra said he shot Randle to protect himself.

The two men had never before met.

Police found a loaded gun and two spent shell casings in the vehicle.

A jury found Parra guilty of having weapons under disability, whichmeans he wasn’t permitted to have a weapon because of a previous conviction, and improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle.

Assistant Prosecutor Jonathan Baumoel urged Oldfield to consider imposing a 4½-year prison sentence against Parra, themaximum possible. He pointed to Parra’s numerous prior criminal convictions and called him “a menace to society.”