Teen guilty in Hanover Park murder

A 17-year-old was found guilty Monday of fatally stabbing a 23-year-old Hanover Park man during a party in 2009.

Jahaziel Duron of Hanover Park hung his head as he was convicted of the second-degree murder of Diontae Roberts following a bench trial before Cook County Court Judge John Scotillo.

Duron was charged with first-degree murder, but Scotillo found mitigating circumstances in the chaos that led up to the stabbing and reduced the charge.

Duron also was charged in connection with the stabbing of the victim's brother at the party, but Scotillo found him not guilty of attempted murder or aggravated battery in that case. Duron was, however, convicted of battery that caused bodily harm with a deadly weapon.

Sentencing is set for Dec. 28. Duron could face a few years or several decades in prison, depending on whether he's sentenced as an adult or a juvenile. While tried as an adult, he was 16 a juvenile when he committed the crime. Since the conviction was reduced to second-degree murder, the sentencing process will require another ruling by the judge.

If sentenced as a juvenile, Duron could be released from prison when he turns 21. If sentenced as an adult, he faces between four and 20 years on the second-degree murder charge, plus two to five years on the battery charge. Prosecutors said they will file paperwork to have him sentenced as an adult.

According to prosecutors, Duron and some friends who were all gang members showed up at a 17-year-old Hoffman Estates High School student's birthday party June 5, 2009, on the 8000 block of Catawba Lane. Several fights broke out in the front and back yards.

Roberts was stabbed six times, and later died. His 21-year-old brother, Michael Cherry, was stabbed once and had to be hospitalized but survived.

Duron's attorney, Sandra Gomez, argued that there were numerous fights going on simultaneously at this party and many people were carrying weapons such as knives and chains. She said no one witnessed Duron stab anyone, and it was too dark to positively identify anyone.

“This (case) is riddled with holes,” Gomez said in her closing statement. “It falls very short of beyond a reasonable doubt.”

During the trial, however, witnesses testified that Duron bragged about his actions, using a racial slur and saying he “got him good.”