Brentwood man gets life in prison

A Brentwood man was sentenced Friday to life in prison for a fatal shooting in 2016.

Daevon Plowden, 30, was found guilty by jury in December for killing Tamar Taylor of Munhall on May 25, 2016, on Bellanca Avenue in Brentwood.

Plowden, who spoke briefly before sentencing, apologized to Mr. Taylor’s family.

“I didn’t mean to hurt Tamar. Tamar had nothing to do with this,” he said as Mr. Taylor’s mother wept.

Plowden pleaded to the judge for mercy, saying. “I’m standing here before you, begging for my life.” But Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Beth Lazzara said she agreed “entirely” with the jury, which on Dec. 18 found him guilty of first-degree murder.

“They did the right thing, and you need to think of the consequences of your actions,” Judge Lazzara said.

She pointed to Mr. Taylor’s mother and said, “This is the consequences.”

The prosecution’s case was built around events that led up to the shooting, which also injured Daniel Jones.

Mr. Jones had been previously engaged to Plowden’s girlfriend, Lashawna Holmes, with whom he had a child. Mr. Taylor gave Mr. Jones a ride to his daughter’s house to drop off a sleeping bag that May evening.

Mr. Jones testified he was returning to the car after giving the sleeping bag to Ms. Holmes’ mother when Plowden began to shoot at him. He was struck in the buttocks, while Mr. Taylor — who never left the car — was hit in the upper left shoulder, with one bullet traveling into his chest.

Mr. Taylor’s family described him as a kind person who was “blindsided” as he was helping a friend. Mr. Taylor’s father, Marshall Taylor, addressed Plowden, saying his son “didn’t know you, had never done anything to you or anyone else.”

“I don’t think you’re an evil person, just someone who didn’t think about his actions,” the father added, saying that Plowden’s actions had ruined families.

The defense argued Plowden had acted in self-defense and that he believed Mr. Jones had a gun that evening, though none was found.

Plowden had claimed Mr. Jones had pulled a gun on him twice in the past, and eight days before the shooting, he sent Ms. Holmes a series of text messages saying he’d had enough of Mr. Jones’ threats. Ms. Holmes testified that Plowden said he’d kill Mr. Jones the next time he saw him.

Ms. Holmes had a protection-from-abuse order against Mr. Jones and on the night of the shooting, she asked Mr. Jones not to come to her house, but he didn’t listen. She testified that when she told Plowden that Mr. Jones would be coming over to drop off the sleeping bag, Plowden changed into all-black clothing.

Police said Plowden also grabbed a handgun and extra magazine and sneaked around the side of the house.