Dec 17, 2007 5:59 pm US/Eastern
Man Who Shot Alleged Rim Thief Gets 5 Years
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
The punishment has been handed down for the Baltimore man who pleaded guilty to charges related to the shooting death of a man who was taking the rims off his car.
Kai Jackson reports Charles Brockington is headed to prison. But family members of the victim aren't satisfied.
There's anger from Angela Brailford. Her fiance Joseph Johnson was shot and killed by Charles Brockington.
"Nobody's life should have been took. I don't think nobody has the right to take nobody's life," said Brailford.
In July, Brockington shot and killed Johnson outside his Northwest Baltimore home after Brockington saw Johnson taking the tires and rims off his Mercedes.
In October, Brockington pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter. He received a five-year prison sentence Monday.
But Brailford says that's not enough.
"If you can take someone's life and get five years, why not? It's a lot of people that I don't like and that stuff, but it's not my right to take their lives," said Brailford.
Brockington claimed the gun went off accidentally. He says he had no intention of killing Johnson.
His family defended him when he made his plea deal.
"He was a good man. Right now, it is hard for me and my family and his family," said Daphne Brockington, Brockington's wife.
The prosecutor defended the sentencing.
"The state feels under the facts Mr. Brockington has a criminal past, but not a recent past. He's 48-years-old. Looking at the factors, everyone involved in the case, the totality of the circumstances, the state thinks this is an appropriate plea," said Mark Cohen.
But Brockington's time behind bars is no comfort to Johnson's family.
"You wonder why the crime rate was so high, you ask yourself. [It's] because you're making it easy for people to kill people and get away with it," said Brailford.
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