Los Angeles Lakers 2007 first-round draft pick, Javaris Crittenton, will be released from prison after serving 10 years in custody following the shooting death of a mother of four in August 2011, a Fulton County judge ruled Friday. A release date has not been set but it is likely a matter of days, said his attorney, Brian Steel.
“I am delighted that Mr. Crittenton will be released from custody and begin his efforts to assist our next generation not to fall to the poisons of gangs, violence and drugs,” Steel told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Friday. “Mr. Crittenton is in a unique position to teach the younger generation how bad it is to be involved in the criminal justice system and how bad it is to be involved with guns and gangs.”
How Did Crittenton End Up Killing Jones?
Crittenton was originally sentenced to 23 years in prison and 17 years of probation after he pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Crittenton, an alleged gang member, gunned down a 23-year-old woman named Julian Jones as he tried to shoot a man who thought had robbed him a few days prior. He reportedly did not intend to shoot Jones.
According to the plea deal with former District Attorney Paul Howard, Crittenton would have the right to a modified sentence after he served five years and met certain behavior-based criteria.
Steel filed a motion to have the sentence modified, and a hearing was held last week. Hours after the judge agreed to reduce the sentence, current District Attorney Fani Willis filed a motion to stop it. In a strange twists of events, Willis previously represented Crittenton as his attorney.
“Upon further review of the case, the Fulton County District Attorney’s office lacked jurisdiction to consent to this resentencing because of a conflict of interest,” the DA’s motion filed last week stated. “The Fulton County District Attorney’s office moves this court to rescind the resentencing order and reinstate the original sentence.”
Last Friday, Judge Charles Eaton ruled that even though Willis once represented Crittenton, that didn’t disqualify anyone else in the DA’s office from being involved in the case.
“It did not appear that District Attorney Fani Willis was involved in the modification process nor that she had any knowledge that the court was set to hear the Motion to Modify Sentence pursuant to terms negotiated prior to her tenure,” Eaton wrote in his ruling. “In effect, District Attorney Willis was ‘screened from any direct or indirect participation’ in the modification as the matter was handled by an Assistant District Attorney assigned to manage cases for which District Attorney may have had a conflict.”
Crittenton’s new sentence for voluntary manslaughter is twenty years, which includes 10 years on probation, and 10 years in prison commuted to time served.
Conditions Of New Sentence
During his 10 years on probation Crittenton must complete 7,200 hours of community service. He will be also be on “Intensive Probation” for the first five years where he will be required to obtain, wear, and pay for a monitoring system worn at all times.
Crittenton will also have a 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew and will only be authorized to be out of his house for pre-arranged volunteer activities as allowed by his probation officer.
The former first-round pick played for the Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies and Washington Wizards over two years. While with the Wizards he was involved in a 2009 incident with his superstar teammate Gilbert Arenas in which guns were brought to the locker room. Both were suspended for the rest of the season and Crittenton was released following the end of his suspension.
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