Two Akron brothers have been sentenced after pleading guilty in connection with a 2020 case where a man was fatally shot outside of a cellphone store; according to the Summit County Prosecutor's Office, 21-year-old Deshawn Coleman, who pulled the trigger, was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 18 years, while his older sibling, 24-year-old Eric Farrey, received a term that could range from 16 to a possible extension up to 21 1/2 years based on his conduct behind bars, as reported by WKYC.
The events leading to these sentences unfolded on October 15, 2020, when it was reported the brothers confronted Kei'Juan Harrison following his exit from a mobile store and demanded money at gunpoint; upon his refusal, Coleman shot Harrison in the chest, leading Harrison to seek help in a nearby Fifth Street house but ultimately succumbing to his injuries, as stated by Cleveland.com. Advanced forensic methods, including DNA analysis, video surveillance, and ballistics comparison, connected the brothers to the crime. Coleman and Farrey were arrested nearly nine months after the incident by U.S. Marshals at separate locations in Akron.
Judge Kelly McLaughlin, who imposed the sentences, labeled both Coleman and Farrey as violent offenders, which, under the provisions of the Reagan Tokes Law, means that Farrey's sentence length could be influenced by his behavior while incarcerated. Both defendants must register annually as violent offenders for a decade upon release, an additional measure towards safeguarding community safety, as mentioned by WOIO.
"Deshawn Coleman and Eric Farrey ended a man's life over the money in his wallet," Summit County Prosecutor Elliot Kolkovich said, underscoring the gravity of the crime and the justice he believes the sentences serve, a sentiment echoed and captured by multiple sources;l their imprisonment is viewed as a means to enhance public safety within Summit County. The prosecutor's office and Akron Police Department were commended for their roles in bringing these individuals to account, according to statements obtained by WKYC and other local publications.
