Ex-Jimmy Lee recreation center worker pleads guilty to shooting teen; attempted murder charge dismissed

Nick Ferraro, Pioneer Press
·3 min read
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A former St. Paul parks and recreation worker pleaded guilty to first-degree assault for shooting and critically wounding a 16-year-old boy last year at the Oxford Community Center/Jimmy Lee Recreation Center.

Exavir Dwayne Binford Jr. entered the plea in court Monday after reaching a deal with prosecutors, who agreed to dismiss an attempted murder charge against the 27-year-old for shooting JuVaughn Turner in the head during a fight outside the rec center in the city’s Summit-University neighborhood.

Binford previously pleaded not guilty to the charges, with his attorney telling a judge that he had acted in self-defense.

Prosecutors filed a motion Monday in court stating their intent to seek an aggravated sentence of nearly 10½ years in prison. The presumptive prison sentence calls for just over 7 years. Binford remains jailed in lieu of $500,000 bail ahead of sentencing, which was set for Feb. 9.

Charges say the Jan. 18 shooting followed an argument between a group of Central High School girls. Binford, who was working as a community recreation specialist, then fought with Turner, another 16-year-old boy and a girl, before firing his 9mm pistol once.

Turner, who was a student at Central Senior High School, underwent emergency neurosurgery with a life-threatening injury.

Binford told police after his arrest that he felt threatened by Turner and the other boy, identified in the criminal complaint as RC. Binford said he had a problem with Turner ever since he transferred to the rec center in August after four years at Arlington Rec Center.

Binford had a permit to carry a firearm, and said he carried his gun at the rec center, but people didn’t know. He said he carried “because he worked the graveyard shift at the rec center when it closed” at 9 p.m., the complaint read.

Binford said no one was allowed in the rec center because of the fight between the girls. He said he clocked out for the day, then “had words” with a girl who let her brother into the building. Turner intervened.

According to Binford, he walked away to catch his bus and told JT and RC, “that if they wanted to do something to him he would be at the bus stop.”

RC got into his way, Binford said, so he gave the teen a “baby shove” to create space. Both teens ran up and jumped him, sending him to the ground, where he threw some punches with his jacket pulled over his head, Binford told police.

“I ain’t gonna lie — I pulled my pistol,” Binford said, according to the complaint. “I just felt like if you wouldn’t put your hands on me this wouldn’t happen.”

Police noted Binford’s lip was “busted” and he had injuries above an eyebrow.

Investigators asked Binford why he shot “when they were all just standing there, (and) Binford had no explanation and said it was just in the moment and he was sorry,” according to the complaint. He also told police “he could have done something differently.”

Under state law, private businesses or property owners can generally ban guns on their premises, including when someone has a permit to carry a gun, but government entities can’t prohibit permit holders from carrying weapons in public spaces, including libraries and recreation centers. St. Paul is allowed to ban city employees from carrying guns at work, but only when they’re on the clock and on work premises, not parking lots.

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