Citizen Kills 3 in Drive-by Shooting

[Citizens GoneCrazy]

June 04, 2004
N.C. One of three men accused of killing two Jacksonville brothers
and their aunt in a drive-by shooting pleaded guilty to three counts of
murder Thursday in hopes of avoiding the death penalty.
Assistant Public Defender Bill White said it would be nearly impossible
to find a jury in Jacksonville that is not tainted by media coverage of
the shooting deaths of Deon and Chris Kirkland and Johnnie Gatlin on
Sept. 26, 2002. That's why Maurice Silas, 30, chose to let a judge
decide his fate, White said.
Leon Kirkland bows his head in a Duval County courtroom Thursday as he
listens to Maurice Silas plead guilty to first-degree murder in the
slayings of Kirkland's sons.
"The decision was made because it may be the best chance he has for a
life sentence," White said.
State Attorney Harry Shorstein said his office will continue to seek the
death penalty against Silas and the other two defendants in the case,
Carlton Lumpkins, 38, and Latroy Bouknight, 23.
"At the appropriate time, we will encourage the court to give him
death," Shorstein said.
A motive for the shooting was publicly disclosed for the first time
Thursday when White said the shooters were looking for someone they
mistakenly thought was in the car.
Gatlin had picked up her nephews, ages 12 and 13, from football practice
shortly before they were gunned down outside her Third Street home.
White said within the past month, Silas decided to change his not-guilty
plea even though he could still get the death penalty.
Silas
Circuit Judge Henry Davis spent nearly an hour during Thursday's hearing
going over the new plea and ensuring Silas knew exactly what he was
agreeing to.
"Are you satisfied that it is in your best interest to plead guilty at
this time?" Henry asked Silas.
"Yes, sir," was his reply.
Chris Kirkland
Silas offered to testify against Lumpkins and Bouknight, White said.
As Davis read the indictment and Silas said he was guilty of using a gun
to kill all three victims, the boys' father began to weep.
Leon Kirkland left without answering questions from the media. Before
the proceedings, he was visibly upset while talking to prosecutors about
Silas' pending plea.
Homicide detective Shawn Coarsey testified the three assailants were
looking for a specific person -- a 6-foot-2, middle-aged man -- when
they opened fire on Gatlin's car. White said after the hearing that the
men were hoping to avenge the death of Marvin Lumpkins, who was killed a
week earlier. Marvin Lumpkins is Carlton Lumpkins' brother, Bouknight's
uncle and Silas' close friend, White said.
The man they suspected in the shooting had been seen driving Gatlin's
car, Coarsey said.
Deon Kirkland
White said Silas did not know the brothers and their 46-year-old aunt
were in the car until he saw television reports that night.
Coarsey said the car's dome light was on before the shooting. However,
White said the windows were tinted making it hard to see inside the car.
Silas' girlfriend came to police after he told her he had been shot
during the attack, Coarsey said. Police arranged for her to meet with
him and arrested the injured Silas then.