DECATUR — The Decatur man who says he was preparing a shotgun for home defense — and ended up blowing a hole through his apartment floor and narrowly missing his downstairs neighbor — looks ready to do a plea deal with prosecutors.
Demitchell I. Leonard, 26, faces a charge of the reckless discharge of a firearm for the incident, which happened just after 1 a.m. Dec. 2 at an apartment house in the 3100 block of North Beth Boulevard.
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The defendant appeared Jan. 3 in Macon County Circuit Court and entered a not guilty plea. But the court record now shows the case is set for a “disposition hearing” on Feb. 2. Dispositions usually dispose of charges with a guilty plea involving an agreed penalty negotiated between defense and prosecution lawyers.
A sworn affidavit filed by Decatur police said cops arrived to find Leonard in a state of “erratic behavior and speaking fast.” The affidavit added: “Officers heard Demitchell make statements like ‘I wasn’t trying to kill nobody’ and ‘It was only an accident.’ Officers observed a defect in the floor near the front door to be consistent with a shotgun round.”
The 66-year-old downstairs neighbor, meanwhile, told police he had been just four feet away when the shotgun blast ripped through his ceiling. He was not listed as being injured.
Leonard claimed the 12-gauge pump shotgun involved belonged to his absent roommate. “Demitchell stated that he was attempting to place the shotgun against the wall for home defense when it accidentally discharged,” the affidavit said.
Leonard was arrested that night but was freed from custody Dec. 4 after Judge Lindsey Shelton released him under the new no cash bail law. His release conditions order him to refrain from drinking alcohol and using drugs and warned him not to touch any “firearm or other dangerous weapon.”
A man has died after a dog stepped on a rifle and shot him from the rear of a truck in the state of Kansas.
2023 mugshots from the Herald & Review
Lourash
Jeffrey L. Lourash, 57, took a plea deal on April 6, 2023, and admitted the first degree murder of his wife Tabitha Lourash, who was shot to death November 23 in their Warrensburg home. Lourash was sentenced in May of 2023 to 45 years in prison, to be served at 100%.
Hirstein
Steven L. Hirstein, 43, was arrested March 30, 2023, and booked on preliminary charges of attempted murder for a stabbing attack on his girlfriend. He is also charged with aggravated battery to police after allegedly attacking officers with a knife. He was shot and wounded several times by police but his wounds were not considered serious.
Phillip Gehrken
Phillip J. Gehrken, 52, of Forsyth, was sentenced to 50 years in prison March 28, 2023, after being convicted of the murder of 51-year-old victim Kevin Cooper on July 11, 2021.
Joseph A. Williams
Joseph A. Williams, convicted of the attempted murder of a Decatur Police officer, was sentenced 80 years in prison in June of 2023.
Jetrevius O. Jarrett
Jetrevius O. Jarrett is charged with first degree murder for allegedly shooting to death the photographer that took his family’s Christmas pictures in 2021.
Edwards
Cameron C. Edwards, 19, of Cerro Gordo was sentenced to nine years in prison April 4, 2023, after pleading guilty to the unlawful possession of a stolen gun, attempted escape and burglary. He was part of a theft team that stole guns from cop cars.
King-Woods
Traveon Hightower King-Woods, 27, was sentenced to five years in prison March 22, 2023, after he admitted a charge of aggravated robbery. Police said he robbed a victim at gunpoint but then had to flee for his life when the victim chased him in a car. King-Woods accomplice and brother, Amieron L. Barham-Perkins, 20, pleaded guilty to an aggravated robbery charge and was sentenced to five years on January 17, 2023.
Wilson
Tyler J. Wilson, 23, was sentenced to 18 years in prison in Macon County Circuit Court April 26, 2023, after pleading guilty to a charge of armed violence.
Derrickson
Tiyren E. Derrickson, 28, was sentenced to eight years in prison May 18, 2023, after pleading guilty to a charge of burglary. He had raided the same Decatur church on consecutive days and stolen equipment valued at more than $20,000.
Colby J. Park
Colby J. Park, 25, was sentenced to a 24 month conditional discharge and ordered to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life after pleading guilty to the aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a 6-year-old boy by biting the child. The offense dates to October 7, 2018, and Park was sentenced May 19 of 2023.
Contact Tony Reid at (217) 421-7977. Follow him on Twitter: @TonyJReid
Contact Tony Reid at (217) 421-7977. Follow him on Twitter: @TonyJReid