Toledoan found guilty in death of club bouncer

Smith pleads no contest to reduced charges

3/12/2013

Saying he never intended to kill anyone, a Toledo man charged in the death of a bouncer at the Déjà Vu night club on South Byrne Road pleaded no contest today to reduced charges in Lucas County Common Pleas Court.

Jamieus Smith, 29, of 2029 Southmoor Dr., was then found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the commission of misdemeanor assault by Judge Frederick McDonald. He also was convicted of trafficking in cocaine and having weapons under disability from an unrelated incident, and sentenced to a total of five years in prison.

Smith was charged in the death of John R. White, 38, of Lake Township who died eight days after he was struck outside the bar, fell, and hit the pavement about 2:55 a.m. Sept. 29.

Andy Lanstra, an assistant Lucas County prosecutor, told the court that the terms of the plea agreement were not well-accepted either by family members of Mr. White or by investigators involved in the case, but that the prosecutor’s office determined it was the most appropriate outcome given the circumstances.