The man who, police say, got into a fight with someone twice his age and then fatally shot the victim, dodged a scheduled murder trial on Monday by pleading guilty.
Defendant Antonio Gooding — 27 at the time — was arrested and charged with murder for the June 6, 2019, death of 55-year-old Clement King. The incident took place in Coki Point near the Champion Feed & Supplies Company, police reports said.
After searching for the suspect and appealing to the public for help in finding Gooding, he was arrested in February 2020. A sluggish court schedule brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic is believed to have caused delays in prosecuting the case.
Jury selection was scheduled to begin on Monday morning, but a change of plea hearing took place instead before Superior Court Judge Denise Francois. Through his lawyer, the defendant admitted to having an unlicensed firearm on the day King was killed. He also admitted to standing over King as he lay on the ground, firing multiple rounds towards the victim at close range.
In exchange for those admissions, Justice officials agreed to dismiss charges of first- and second-degree murder and related illegal weapons charges. The guilty pleas also brought a sentencing agreement of 15 years in prison for manslaughter, with an additional five years for the gun charge added on.
Had Gooding opted to stand trial, he faced a possible life sentence if convicted by a jury.
