28 year-old Leroy Ramsey is spending the first night of an 8 year sentence in prison which Justice Troadio Gonzalez handed down today. He was convicted of 2 counts of attempted murder last week Friday for attempting to shoot Lincoln Broaster and Cecilio Madril to death.
In the trial, evidence came out in court that both men were on Raccoon Street socializing with Robert Wagner on the night of February 18, 2008. Wagner took the stand and testified that he was speaking to both men when he saw Ramsey approach them with a firearm. Ramsey shot Broaster twice, once to the chest, near the heart; and once to the left thigh. According to Wagner, Ramsey immediately turned the weapon on Madril fired 3 shots at him, all of which missed.
The prosecutor called Broaster to testify, who confirmed the details as described by Wagner, but he told the court that he never saw who shot him. Broaster was treated as a hostile witness, and he eventually admitted under cross-examination that he gave a statement to police in which he identified Ramsey as his attacker.
When the prosecution closed its case, Ramsey took the stand and denied the allegations. He said that he was at home with his girlfriend, Stacey Williams who testified on his behalf. A jury of 9 didn't believe his alibi evidence, and after deliberations, they found him guilty of 2 counts of attempted murder.
In his mitigation hearing today, Ramsey called his brother-in-law, Shane Williams, who spoke on his behalf. Williams asked the court for leniency on Ramsey because he is a first-time offender, and because he has children who depend on him. According to Williams, he grew up without a father, and wouldn't wish that on any his brother-in-law's children.
Justice Gonzalez considered the mitigation testimony, but he noted that the seriousness of Broaster's injuries is aggravating factor against Ramsey. He handed Ramsey 2 separate sentences of 8 years in prison, which are to run concurrently. As a result, he will only spend 8 years in prison.
