Kegia Mitchell, a former security guard, was sentenced to five and a half to 14 years in prison for the shooting death of 56-year-old Thomas Martin outside a 7-Eleven in Las Vegas during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. She may be eligible for parole after serving a little over five years, according to News 3 Las Vegas.
In August 2020, Mitchell was involved in a confrontation with Martin outside a convenience store that ended in a shooting. She was first charged with murder with use of a deadly weapon, but the charges were later reduced to voluntary manslaughter with a deadly weapon and assault. Mitchell entered an Alford plea, which means she did not admit guilt but acknowledged there was enough evidence for a conviction. Video shown in court showed a physical fight between Mitchell and Martin at the store entrance before the shooting. Clark County District Court Judge Tierra Jones said, "It's not what took place in the store that’s the biggest issue. It’s what took place outside the store that’s the biggest issue," as reported by 8 News Now.
The case against former security guard Mitchell included a new video shown in court, recorded 19 days before the shooting, showing her in a separate confrontation with another customer. "We learn about another video, an uncharged act from 19 days before where we watched Ms. Mitchell treating another customer like an animal," said Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney Chris Hamner, as told 8 News Now. During sentencing, her attorney Scott Bindrup asked for probation. Mitchell said, "I didn’t mean to take this man’s life, I did not. I am truly sorry from the bottom of my heart," as she was taken into custody.
