Judge presses defendant to explain robbery that led to killing of 2 including teen girl

In a Hamilton County courtroom Monday, Jaylan Dubose heard heart-rending statements from family members of two people, including a 15-year-old girl, who were killed during a robbery in which he participated.

Then Common Pleas Judge Wende Cross told Dubose that he owed it to the victims' families to explain the decisions he made the afternoon of Dec. 13, 2022.

Dubose, who was 18 and still in high school when the shooting happened, initially didn't want to say anything. There is another person still facing charges , he said.

But Cross pressed him to talk about his own reasons for being there.

It wasn't about money, Dubose said. He also didn't have animosity toward 19-year-old Logan Lawson, who was killed in the shooting, or another teen who was wounded. In fact, Dubose said he didn't know them.

Dubose said he did know 15-year-old Nonaisha Jones, who also was killed in the exchange of gunfire. According to court documents, the shooting happened in a car outside a Roselawn apartment complex.

3 teens involved in robbery

Prosecutors say Dubose, Jones and a third teen, Tejuan Johnson, who was 17 at the time, were tying to steal marijuana and money from Lawson and the person with him. Johnson is being prosecuted as an adult and faces charges including aggravated murder and aggravated robbery.

Dubose, 19, admitted having a gun. He said he'd been carrying it "for awhile," but his family didn't know.

Cross asked him why he had the gun.

"I don't know," he said. "I was young and dumb."

"Was it worth it?" Cross finally asked.

"No, it wasn't," he responded.

Cross sentenced Dubose to 20 to 25½ years in prison, a term that had been agreed upon as part of the plea.

'Grieving for a lifetime'

Lawson's father and sister were among those who spoke in court Monday. His 18-year-old sister, Madelynn Overbey, told Dubose that her pain will never go away. Overbey read statements from their younger siblings, including their 12-year-old brother, who said Dubose had taken away his idol and hero.

"You have left us grieving for a lifetime," Overbey said.

Lawson's father, Scotty Lawson, said he never will forgive Dubose.

"What happened that day was senseless. It was over nothing," he said. He added that he hoped Dubose someday would turn his life around "and do something good for somebody."

Nonaisha Jones' mother, Gwendolyn Robinson, recalled driving her daughter to Woodward High School the morning of the shooting. That was the last time Robinson would ever talk to her.

"My child will never be able to call us and tell us nothing," she said, speaking through tears.

Dubose's father, Julian, said what happened was senseless.

"This whole thing was just a bunch of kids, just ignorant, and not knowing what life was all about," he said. "I just want to put my heart out and say I am so sorry for this situation."

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Judge presses defendant to explain robbery that led to killing of 2 including teen girl