Gary man sentenced to 22 years in 2015 deadly shooting

A Gary man was sentenced to 22 years in prison Thursday for a 2015 fatal shooting, while his sister faces a new court date for her role after a judge rejected her plea agreement.

Marcellus Robinson, 25, of Gary was charged in the Nov. 28, 2015, shooting death of Mynisha Brown, 24, whose then 19-year-old sister had been in a lengthy dispute with his sister before agreeing to fight in the area of the Dunbar-Pulaski School, 920 E. 19th Ave., Gary.

He pleaded guilty in April to voluntary manslaughter, a level 2 felony, in exchange for dropping other charges against him.

That evening, Brown, her sister and five other women traveled in a Buick Rendezvous to the school. While waiting on 19th Avenue at Kentucky Street for the other woman to arrive, witnesses said Marcellus Robinson pulled out two guns from his waistband and opened fire in the direction of the women, the probable cause affidavit states.

Police later found canned goods or baby food stuffed in socks in the Buick they concluded would have been used for a fight. They also found a machete later found near 17th Avenue and Kentucky Street, according to testimony from a Lake County Sheriff Division Commander.

Brown’s sister drove the Buick to Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus. Brown died of a gunshot wound to the chest. Brown’ s sister was wounded in the ear.

Before she died, Mynisha Brown was eager to finish nursing school and wanted to become a pediatrician, her mother Diawanaqua Brown said in court on Thursday. Brown left behind a fiance and four children including a then 1-month-old child.

“You have broken many hearts,” she told Robinson.

Prosecutor Judith Massa said Robinson’s actions had been premeditated and argued for the maximum sentence. His mother’s neighbor, who had since died, testified Robinson earlier in the case that he attended her party that night, left, then returned, Massa said.

Robinson was heard “loudly talking about shooting up a car,” Massa said, gesturing to his arm where Mynisha Brown was also shot. “He was bragging about what he did.”

Robinson faced between 10 and 30 years, with an advisory sentence of 17 1/2 years. He will get nearly 4½ years credited for time served, Boswell said.

Brown’s mother shut her eyes briefly as Robinson turned around to address her family. He described the shooting done “in the heat of the moment.”

“I hope one day you (can) find it in your heart… to forgive,” he said.

Why didn’t he talk to Tyiana or leave the fight to her, Boswell asked. According to court testimony, one man had fathered a child with both Tyiana Robinson and Brown’s sister.

“I told her multiple times,” he replied, referring to Tyiana Robinson. “It’s all over nobody. He don’t care about none of y’all.”

Brown’s death “was pretty much an ambush,” Boswell said.

That would be an aggregating factor, she said. His age played in his favor. Someday, once out of prison, he had a chance to mentor others to help them avoid his fate, Boswell said.

“I hope you find that,” she said.

Tyiana C. Robinson originally faced six months to 2 1/12 years, with her time on house arrest to be factored into the sentencing, Scott King, attorney for the siblings said previously. She was initially charged with with murder, attempted murder and other felony counts in the homicide.

Boswell on Thursday rejected her agreement after Robinson declined to address the court in her own defense, a time usually reserved partly to apologize to a victim’s family. King interjected that Robinson was upset moments after her brother’s sentencing.

“You don’t care ,” Boswell told her. “You don’t have anything to say today? If it weren’t for you, this (murder) wouldn’t have happened.”

Boswell also appeared incensed at Robinson’s body language whom she said was crossing her arms while before her in court.

“This is on your head,” Boswell told her.

Her next court hearing is set for Aug. 8.