By MELINDA J. OVERSTREET
for Glasgow News 1
Inell Crayton, who was found not guilty of murder but rather was convicted of second-degree manslaughter in May at the conclusion of a four-day trial in Barren Circuit Court, was in that that same courtroom on Monday for his final sentencing.
The 28-year-old Scottsville man, his girlfriend and a friend of his had decided to travel to Cave City on Dec. 28, 2018, to purchase some marijuana, but the intended seller – Ke’Shawn Sarver, 22 – and a buddy of his planned to take the money and not provide any product in return, according to trial testimony. When Sarver took off with the money, Crayton and his friend went looking for him, eventually determining which apartment was his, and Crayton kicked in the door; an altercation ensued that led to Sarver’s being fatally shot, according to testimony. After Crayton and his friend rejoined Crayton’s girlfriend, who was driving, the gun Crayton used was tossed out the car window on their way back to Scottsville, also according to testimony.
Crayton testifies during his trial in Barren Circuit Court in May. GN1 FILE PHOTO
The trial jury deliberated for approximately 90 minutes and, in addition to the manslaughter charge, found Crayton guilty as charged of first-degree burglary and tampering with physical evidence.
The jury’s recommended sentences for the three counts – after another 80 minutes, roughly, of deliberations – were the maximum of 10 years for the second-degree manslaughter, 15 of the maximum 20 years for the burglary, and the minimum of one year for evidence tampering. The jurors also recommended, however, that the sentences be served concurrently, so the total would be 15 rather than 26 years.
Had Crayton been convicted on the murder charge, the sentence range was 20 years to life, essentially.
At Monday’s sentencing before Circuit Judge John T. Alexander, neither attorney presented witnesses or written statements from other parties for further testimony regarding the penalties. The defense attorney, Lee Davis, and Commonwealth’s Attorney John Gardner each pointed out items in the presentence investigation report that needed to be added, corrected and/or clarified, and Davis said that beyond that, “I think that everything from our point of view was stated at trial.”
Gardner pointed out that, with the charges of which Crayton was found guilty, he would have to serve at least 85 percent of the 15 years, which would be 12 years and 9 months before he is eligible for to be considered for parole, but he will also get credit the time he has already served. He has been lodged at the Barren County Detention Center since Jan. 1, 2019, which still leaves a minimum of more than eight additional years for him to serve before parole is possible.
Gardner asked that the court keep with the jury’s recommendation.
“Mr. Crayton,” the judge said, “I’m not going to belabor the point, because we all sat up here together and listened to the trial, participated in the trial.”
Alexander said that he believed the trial was done according to all the correct procedures and also ended up with “a well-thought-out verdict” by the jury that followed deliberations for “a considerable length of time.”
“So I am going to impose the sentence that the jury recommended,” the judge said, latter adding that he would also stay consistent with the recommendation that the sentences be served concurrently.
Alexander told Crayton that any fines or court costs he would have had would be “served out” by time he would be out.
He provided Crayton with the opportunity to ask any questions he had and, hearing none, the judge concluded the proceeding with words not-at-all uncommon from him: “I wish you the best of luck.”
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