Akron man, 3 codefendants sentenced to prison for shooting death of Damarcus Hartwell

An 18-year-old Akron man was sentenced to life in prison for his role in the 2022 New Year's Eve shooting death of Damarcus Hartwell.

Verdict: Jurors return mixed verdict against Cameron Jones in New Year's Eve slaying

Cameron Jones was found guilty by a jury Friday of felony murder, aggravated robbery, robbery, felonious assault and four gun specifications that carry additional time. He can apply for early release after 21 years into his life sentence.

Summit County Common Pleas Judge Joy Malek Oldfield also sentenced three other codefendants for their roles; all three agreed to testify against Jones and received lighter sentences.

Layveire Belton and Nino Jennings, who pleaded each guilty to aggravated robbery and a firearm specification, were sentenced to 14 to 19½ years in prison. Makhi Anderson-Clay, who pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery, got six to nine years in prison.

Victim's family speaks out

Three of Hartwell's family members spoke before the four codefendants were sentenced. Each expressed the pain they endured since Hartwell's death nearly two years ago.

"I don't know if you four gentlemen understand what you took from us," Hartwell's aunt said. "You destroyed six lives."

She explained that Hartwell died, leaving behind a 12-year-old son without his father. The four codefendants, she said, are now facing prison terms.

Hartwell's mother told the court that she hated the codefendants for their roles in her son's death, but she has since had a change of heart.

"I forgive you all," she said.

Codefendants speak before sentencing

The three codefendants— Anderson-Clay, Jennings and Belton — who took plea deals spoke to Hartwell's family before they were sentenced. Each had no prior record, their attorneys explained, and never intended for anyone to get hurt.

Anderson-Clay's attorney, John Alexander, told the court his client had the same story from the beginning and stuck to that story during his testimony. Prosecutors previously argued that he lied in his testimony.

"That he went to the party for New Year's Eve and didn't know anything about a plan to rob," Alexander said. "He was going upstairs, heard gunshots and ran out."

Attorney Joseph Gorman, speaking for Jennings, and attorney Thomas Bauer, speaking for Belton, said their clients never intended for anyone to get hurt and were remorseful throughout the legal process.

The three codefendants apologized to the family.

"I thought about everything that happened that day every day I sat in jail," Belton said. "This is not who I am. This is not who I want to be in the future."

Jones did not speak, but his attorney Erik Jones asked the court not to hold that against him, explaining that it is his constitutional right not to speak.

Jones was the youngest of the four codefendants and was 17 years old at the time of the incident.

Oldfield said every aspect of the case was regrettable, including the codefendants' punishment.

"It really is tragic that I'm sentencing all of you because you are all very young," Oldfield said.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron man, 3 codefendants sentenced to prison for shooting death of Damarcus Hartwell