Plea to lesser charge halts murder trial

Jurors had heard from just three witnesses Wednesday before Dejuan Hicks brought his murder trial to an end by pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of a 17-year-old boy in Franklinton.

Hicks, who turns 25 on Saturday, was sentenced to 18 years in prison: 11 years for involuntary manslaughter, three for illegally Hicks possessing a weapon, three for a gun specification, and one for participating in a criminal gang.

Had Hicks been convicted of murder, he would have faced a mandatory sentence of life in prison with no chance of parole for 15 years, plus additional time for the gun and gang findings.

Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Stephen L. Mcintosh imposed the sentence, which was recommended by prosecuting and defense attorneys as part of the plea agreement.

Hicks, of the South Side, said he was “not overly satisfied” with the deal, but he took responsibility for the Aug. 24, 2017, death of Shaquan Brown.

“It was senseless,” he said. “It should have never happened.”

Assistant Prosecutor Jason Manning told jurors in his opening statement that Brown punched Hicks during a dispute outside the Canonby Court apartments in the 700 block of Canonby Place. As Brown ran away through the parking lot, Hicks fired 14 shots at him with a semi-automatic handgun, striking him three times, Manning said. Brown died at the scene. Manning said no one at the scene would cooperate with police. Hicks wasn’t arrested until a witness called police a week later to identify the shooter by his nickname, “Drama,” and picked him out of a photo array.

Defense attorney John Graceffo cautioned jurors that witness statements contained “several inconsistencies.”

Hicks, whom police identified as an active member of a Bloods-related street gang, was on parole after serving a prison term for robbery at the time of the shooting.