Man Guilty Of Murder In Death Of 6-Year-Old Boy
FLINT (WWJ/AP) - A 26-year-old Flint man has been found guilty of second-degree murder in the 2010 shooting death of a 6-year-old boy.
DaVontrae Benton was convicted Friday of killing Jonaries Holden after authorities said he fired a shot into a car during an argument with the boy's father over $60.
The boy, who was sitting in the back seat, was hit once and died at local hospital. His twin brother, Quinares Holden, and a 2-year-old child were also in the car but were not hurt.
"I thought I was a good, overprotective mother," said the boy's mother, Marchand Williams. "We hear shootings every day. But I thought violence would affect people doing the violence, not my innocent baby."
A jury also found Benton guilty of four counts of assault with intent to murder and felony firearm in the Nov. 1, 2010, shooting.
Benton reached a deal in January to plead no contest to manslaughter, but defense attorney Kenneth Scott opted for a jury trial. Mlive.com reports Jonaries' mother told the judge she would prefer a trial and the judge's sentence would have been more than twice what state guidelines called for.
A sentencing date was set for April 30.
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