Gang Members Convicted in Deadly Shooting
Prosecutors in Charme Allen’s Career Gang Unit obtained convictions against four Crip gang members following a deadly shooting in Western Heights. ADA Phil Morton announced a resolution in the cases against Couron E’Drice Bennett, 19, Marcus Eugene Stanford, 22, Deauntay Shamar Tate, 24, and Robert Dwight Wade, 23. Under the terms of the agreement, Tate and Stanford pled guilty to Second Degree Murder, Attempted Voluntary Manslaughter, and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm. Each crime was enhanced as a gang offense, and Tate and Stanford must serve fifteen years in prison. Wade pled guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter, Attempted Voluntary Manslaughter, and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, again enhanced as a gang offense. He must serve twelve years in prison consecutive to prior ten-year-sentence in a cocaine case. Bennett also pled guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter, Attempted Voluntary Manslaughter, and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm. These charges were gang enhanced, but Bennett received a suspended sentence of ten years because he was a juvenile at the time of the offense.
In a hearing this morning, Morton explained that on Sunday, July 14, 2013, victims Mark Hanna and Abel Henry were driving in the Lonsdale community. The victims eventually ended up on Reed Street where they encountered Stanford and Wade. Two other vehicles arrived and the occupants, including Bennett and Tate, approached Henry with handguns and threatened to shoot him. Henry was unarmed and offered to fight, but Wade insisted that he was going to shoot Henry. Stanford pointed a gun at Henry, but Henry knocked the gun out of the way and tried to leave, but several individuals started to strike Henry with their fists and guns. During the fight, gunshots rang out, and Henry was shot multiple times in his arms and upper torso.
On the other side of the vehicle, Hanna was lying on the ground to take cover from the gunshots before being able to get into the driver’s seat. Before Hanna could start the vehicle, Tate walked up to Hanna and emptied his gun into Hanna’s chest. Stanford also emptied his gun into Hanna. Henry was able to start the vehicle and drive to Fort Sanders Hospital where Hanna passed away.
“This senseless violence has ended in a tragedy with one victim killed in the prime of his life all because some young men thought it was cool to be in a gang,” said General Allen.”I will continue to fight this growing gang problem in our city until people realize that gang life is not worth the consequences.”
If you have any questions, please contact Sean McDermott at 865-215-2515 or Sean.McDermott@knoxcounty.org. For more information about the District Attorney’s Office, visit our website at dag.knoxcountytn.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.