Teen sentenced to 12 years for stabbing
Jahaziel Duron initially faced first-degree murder charges when his bench trial began last fall before Cook County Circuit Court Judge John Scotillo. By the time the trial concluded, Duron, 17, stood convicted of the lesser charge of second-degree murder.
Scotillo found the evidence insufficient to sustain the top charge, citing the chaos that surrounded the June 2009 stabbing death of 23-year-old Diontae Roberts and his brother Michael Cherry, at a Hanover Park house party. Cherry recovered from his injuries.
Scotillo rejected defense attorney Frank Madea’s motion to sentence Duron as a juvenile, which likely would have resulted in his release after he turned 21.
Instead, Scotillo sentenced Duron to 10 years in prison for Roberts’ murder and two years for the aggravated battery against Cherry. The sentences must be served consecutively, Scotillo said.
“I believe he has some potential,” said Scotillo, who also offered to recommend Duron for the Illinois Department of Corrections’ substance abuse treatment program. Duron accepted Scotillo’s offer.
Duron was on probation for criminal trespass to a vehicle and damage to property at the time of his arrest, said
juvenile probation officer and sole witness Ed Walsh, who provided testimony in aggravation and mitigation during Duron’s sentencing hearing Thursday afternoon.
With the exception of two fights in October and December 2009, Duron “had no major problems” during his incarceration, Walsh said. Moreover, Duron tried to remove the gang tattoos (a probation violation) he got several days before the stabbing, said Walsh. Madea suggested that reflected his client’s intention to end his gang affiliation.
“It’s clear he got involved in gangs and that’s why we’re here,” said Madea who described the situation at the time of Roberts’ murder as “a big brawl.”
In his statement to the court, Duron asked for another chance to do right, especially by his one-year-old daughter.
“I’m sorry for what happened. My intentions were never to hurt anybody,” he said.