Toledo man faces 12 years in gun death
1/9/2013When Vicktron Moore met a hooded figure on a dark street in May, what started out as a drug deal resulted in his shooting death, an assistant Lucas County Prosecutor Andy Lastra said in court Tuesday.
Damar Smith, 18, of 909 Vance St. entered an Alford plea Tuesday to a charge of involuntary manslaughter with a one-year gun specification.
He faces up to 12 years in prison when sentenced Jan. 22.
In an Alford plea, a defendant maintains innocence or does not admit to committing a crime, but acknowledges that the evidence is sufficient to obtain a conviction.
“Something went horribly wrong” in the exchange on the street, Mr. Lastra said.
Smith, 17 at the time of the shooting, was certified in Juvenile Court in June to stand trial as an adult.
In addition to charges that he killed Moore, 30, he was accused of injuring Terrance Cohen, 37.
Mr. Lastra said Cohen was with Moore in the vehicle when Moore was trying to meet up with someone.
Cohen later said Moore pulled the car up to a person with whom it appeared Moore just had been speaking on a cell phone.
That man, Mr. Lastra said, came up to the car and, after a brief conversation, pulled out a gun and fired.
Moore was shot in the head; Cohen was shot in the shoulder.
In response to questions by Judge Frederick McDonald on why Smith was identified as the suspect, Mr. Lastra said the phone found in Moore’s lap showed a number linked to a phone used by Smith.
Attorney David Klucas deferred comment until after sentencing.