Man Sentenced To Life In Prison In Dionay Smith's Killing
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The man who murdered the brother of former Baltimore city police spokesman T.J. Smith received life in prison for the killing.
Terrell Gibson was found guilty in September in the death of Dionay Smith.
Man Found Guilty For Death Of BPD Spokesman's Brother
Gibson was sentenced to life suspending all but 65 years. He also got 15 more years and the first of those five years he cannot be paroled.
Though not the exact outcome the smith family wanted, it's one they'll accept.
The Smith family said based on the evidence presented in this case they are not concerned if Gibson appeals Monday's sentencing.
Gibson will also not be eligible for parole for the first years he'll be serving of his consecutive sentence. That's 80 years in prison.
T.J. Smith spoke at the sentencing calling Gibson a "predator."
Outside the courthouse the smith family, including Dionay's older brother former city police spokesman T.J. Smith reacting to the decision.
"I think that my family was looking forward to an apology actually and surprisingly we got an excuse," Smith said.
Dion, as he was known, was fatally shot in his West Baltimore apartment back on July 20, 2017.
Days after the shooting, police arresting and charging Gibson.
Surveillance video credited with helping quickly narrow the search in a case that rattled the city, including Smith, who for the first time was on the receiving end of rising violence he often spoke about.
In court, Gibson maintaining his innocence.
"We know he's full of crap. I mean c'mon he's on video," said Smith. "We have brave witnesses who identified him. He's in and out of the house all day, he doesn't have anything else to say so that's what he can this at this point."
State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby admitting though it was not the result her office asked for: a life sentence plus 20 years.
The imposed sentence of life suspended with all but 80 years is one she accepts.
"He will not see the light of day anytime soon and we think it's appropriate in this case," Mosby said.
If anything, what seemed to upset the Smith family most, was Gibson's unwillingness to acknowledge Dion's role as an individual.
"It's not t.J. Smith's brother it's, Dion, and you did this you chose to do this it bothered me that he didn't responsibility for his actions," Smith said.
Smith's father also wanting an apology, not just to him, but Dion's now fatherless children.
"They'll grow up without him. He did not grow up without a father but his children will," Will Smith said.
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