- Posted July 18, 2014
- Tweet This | Share on Facebook
Teens sentenced in home invasion, death
PONTIAC (AP) - An Oakland County judge has sentenced one teenager to life in prison while giving his co-defendant at least 42 years in the slaying of a 27-year-old Pontiac man during a home invasion.
The two were 16 and 17 when they committed the felony murder in 2012, and the U.S. Supreme Court bars Michigan from automatically imposing its mandatory life, no parole sentence against juvenile convicts.
On Wednesday, Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Rudy Nichols sentenced 19-year-old Jonathan Hickerson to life and 18-year-old Donald James to 42-62 years for murder and firearms charges.
Authorities say the teens invaded Adrian Contreras's Pontiac home and shot him. Contreras's brother Brian shot back, hitting Hickerson's face.
Before the sentencing, Hickerson apologized to his and the victim's families, saying he doesn't deserve to ever go free.
Published: Fri, Jul 18, 2014
headlines Oakland County
- Whitmer signs gun violence prevention legislation
- Department of Attorney General conducts statewide warrant sweep, arrests 9
- Adoptive families across Michigan recognized during Adoption Day and Month
- Reproductive Health Act signed into law
- Case study: Documentary highlights history of courts in the Eastern District
headlines National
- Judge is accused of using racial slur, vulgar terms and ‘libtard’ label for employee offended by his comments
- ACLU and BigLaw firm use ‘Orange is the New Black’ in hashtag effort to promote NY jail reform
- Colorado Supreme Court considers whether habeas petition can free zoo elephants
- 4th Circuit upholds $1M sanction for law firm that tried to ‘sabotage’ federal court’s authority
- Don’t give money to law schools unless they teach originalism, conservative federal appeals judge says
- Average BigLaw partner compensation increased 26% in 2 years, reaching this high-water mark
