“I want to say I’m sorry.”
Just before he was sentenced to serve up to 35 years in prison, the third man convicted in the death of a teen killed five years ago at Brady Street Stadium, Davenport, apologized to members of the teen’s family.
On Thursday in Scott County Court, 25-year-old Darryl Merritt, of Cahokia, Ill., apologized for his role in the death of 18-year-old Demetrius Allen.
Police allege Merritt was among three people who killed Allen on March 5, 2017, during a robbery shortly before 1:30 a.m. in a parking lot/garage area of Brady Street Stadium on the 3600 block of North Brady Street.
During the robbery, Allen was shot multiple times, and the three took his money and personal belongings, police allege.
“I know you all been through a lot,” said Merritt, who occasionally swiveled back and forth in his chair during court proceedings. He spoke briefly to four of Allen’s loved ones who attended Merritt’s sentencing in Scott County Court. “I apologize on the role I played, or whatever. On my behalf, I’m sorry for that.”
Earlier, Merritt had pleaded guilty to a charge of voluntary manslaughter and another of first-degree robbery. Judge Mark Lawson said Merritt will serve the sentences – up to 10 years for the manslaughter charge and up to 25 for the robbery charge – consecutively, or back-to-back.
“This was a violent crime. You took a man’s life,” Lawson told Merritt, adding he considers Merritt a danger to society.
A robbery results in a death
On March 5, 2017, Merrit; 24-year-old Dyon Thomas, of East St. Louis; and 27-year-old Chontez Graham, of Jefferson City, Missouri; killed Allen during a robbery. Allen was shot multiple times, court records say.
Thomas earlier pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact, and was sentenced to serve up to two years in prison.
Earlier, Graham was sentenced to up to 50 years for second-degree murder, up to 25 years for first-degree robbery and up to five years for flight to avoid prosecution. He will serve his sentences concurrently, or at the same time, court records say.
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