Fourth suspect in fatal Lexington robbery sentenced, plus other court updates
Court cases stemming from several deadly incidents in Central Kentucky have progressed this month, with defendants in major criminal cases receiving their prison sentences.
January’s court developments include a man sentenced to prison time for the deadly shooting of a bystander during a robbery, plus a sentencing for a man accused of crimes committed while he was in jail.
Here are some updates for court cases covered by the Herald-Leader.
Fourth suspect in fatal burglary sentenced
One of five suspects identified in a homicide that killed 29-year-old Charles Shryock was sentenced earlier this month after pleading guilty last year.
Jemel Barber, 24, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for first-degree complicity to manslaughter, attempted murder and first-degree complicity to robbery.
He pleaded guilty to the amended charges on Nov. 9. Barber originally faced charges of complicity to murder, attempted murder, complicity to robbery and complicity to burglary. As part of the plea deal, the charge of complicity to murder was amended down, and complicity to burglary was dismissed, according to court documents.
In addition to his prison sentence, Barber will pay $2,570 in restitution.
Barber and the others were accused of stealing items from a home on Race Street on July 22, 2017, and firing shots at the person who lived there as he fled the home, according to previous police statements and court records.
Shryock was a bystander but was shot and later died at a hospital. Barber is the fourth suspect to have his case resolved, with one other case from the incident still pending.
Barber was previously sentenced to 20 years in prison for the shooting death of 40-year-old Tyrece Clark during an attempted robbery at a Lexington motel in 2017, according to court documents.
Man sentenced for manslaughter in 2020 attack
A man arrested for murder in the 2020 death of 63-year-old Robert Clay was sentenced last week to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter.
Quentin Lee Love, 35, was also ordered to pay $1,027 in restitution.
Love previously entered an Alford plea in October, dismissing all but one charge in his case. He had been charged with murder, but the offense was reduced as part of his plea agreement.
He had originally been charged with murder, possessing a handgun as a convicted felon, first-degree wanton endangerment, and second-degree persistent felony offender after allegedly shooting Robert Clay in 2020.
Defendants who enter an Alford plea maintain they are innocent, but acknowledge there is enough evidence to convict them in a trial.
Love faces new charges of sodomy, assault, and strangulation for acts he allegedly committed against other inmates inside the Fayette County Detention Center in 2022. He has additional, separate charges that also charge him with sodomy and terroristic threatening for alleged assaults inside the jail in April 2023.
Accused drunk driver now faces homicide charge
A man who was initially charged with driving under the influence in a fatal wreck now faces a vehicular homicide charge, according to court records.
Christopher Parish, 40, was charged with vehicular homicide by a Fayette County grand jury in December. He was arraigned in circuit court for criminal charges on Jan. 9, where he pleaded not guilty.
The incident happened in August 2023. Lexington police received a call for a hit and run near West Loudon Avenue and Broadway involving a vehicle and pedestrian around 11:20 p.m. Saturday, according to Lt. Dan Truex.
Police located Ansean Jackson, 52, who died at the scene of multiple blunt force trauma injuries, according to Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn.
The collision reconstruction unit investigated the scene and later found Parish. His blood-alcohol content the night of the collision was 0.194%, court records say. That’s more than double the legal limit of 0.08%.
Suspect whose crimes caught on camera goes to the grand jury
A 26-year-old man charged with the final homicide in 2023 had his case sent to a grand jury by a Fayette District Court judge last month.
Luquan Hayes was charged after Lexington Police say he was identified as the person who shot 24-year-old Devon Dockery Jr.
The shooting happened Dec. 27 in the 500 block of Pemberton Street. Police previously said they found Dockery shot inside a vehicle. Dockery was transported to University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital, where he later died, police said.
During his preliminary hearing Jan. 16, Lexington police Detective John Davis testified the shooting was caught on nearby home surveillance.
Davis said video from the residence shows Dockery pulling onto the side of the road on Pemberton. While the car is sitting there, muzzle flashes can be seen going off several times, according to Davis’ testimony.
Footage then showed Hayes exiting from the passenger side of the vehicle, Davis testified.
“Video from time the car pulls up and the discovery of the body show Mr. Hayes was the only person to enter or exit the vehicle during that time frame,” Davis said.
Thurston sent Hayes’ case to the grand jury citing probable cause, and Hayes’ bond remained the same at $750,000.
