Judge sentences Dayton man for killing friend
A man convicted DAYTON — of stabbing his friend in the neck and then running him over with his car after an argument over a small sum of money was sentenced Thursday afternoon to 19 years to life in prison.
James Miller, 57, was convicted on two counts of murder and three counts of felonious assault after a jury trial a couple of weeks ago. His defense team said that Miller was acting in self-defense when he stabbed 58-year-old Terry Young in the neck on July 8, 2020. They also said that Miller didn’t hit the man with his vehicle.
Authorities said the men had been metal scrapping when Miller began to argue with Young in an alley behind Gebhart Street in Dayton. They said Miller thought he had been cheated out of about $10.
During a sentencing hearing held Thursday afternoon, Young’s brother said he thinks about how scared he must have been after he was stabbed in the neck.
“He was your friend, but you were not his,” he said.
Prosecutors asked Judge Mary Katherine Huffman in a sentencing memorandum to sentence Miller to the maximum sentence — 23 years to life in prison.
“Defendant murdered Terry Young and when he finally got caught and faced trial, he tried every lie in the book to get away with it,” prosecutors said. “Defendant refused to accept responsibility for his actions, and he has never shown remorse for his actions. Defendant sat in the witness stand, after taking an oath, and lied to this Court and to the Jury. Unfortunately for him, but fortunately for Terry Young, the Jury saw through his lies, and found him Guilty on all charges.”
“Furthermore, stabbing Terry to death was not enough for this Defendant. As Defendant was fleeing the scene, he saw Terry was still alive and still staggering, and made a conscious decision to hit Terry with his car to finish what he started. Once he knew the job was done, he headed down south to Virginia to live out the rest of his days,” prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said that Miller was arrested in Virginia and fought extradition back to Ohio.
The defense wrote that Miller grew up in Dayton and will be 72 before he is eligible for parole.
“Mr. Miller has lived his life as a law-abiding member of the community,” the defense wrote. “Mr. Miller has no prior felony convictions. The tragic events of July 8, 2020, were unusual, out of character, and highly unlikely to recur. Mr. Miller is deeply saddened and has great remorse for what happened between him and his friend.”
Huffman told Miller that he stabbed his friend in the neck for what seems to be no reason. She said Young must have been fearful during the situation.
“The sheer terror and horror is unimaginable, sir,” the judge said.