Jurors find Welch man guilty of two counts of involuntary manslaughter
Nov. 2—WELCH — After deliberating for around three hours, a jury found a man charged with two counts of first-degree murder after the April 2022 shooting death of his pregnant girlfriend guilty on two counts of involuntary manslaughter.
Jhamel Scott Jr., 24, of Welch was charged with two counts of first-degree murder after the April 8, 2022 shooting death of his girlfriend, 20-year-old Summer Robinette at their Stewart Street home. Robinette was 23 weeks pregnant at the time.
Circuit Court Judge Edward Kornish told the jurors while giving them their instructions that they could consider verdicts including first-degree murder without mercy and first-degree murder with a recommendation of mercy. With mercy, Scott would serve 15 years of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole, but parole is not guaranteed.
Prosecuting Attorney Brittany Puckett said after the trial that involuntary manslaughter is a misdemeanor with a possible sentence of a year in prison. The two sentences, one for Robinette and one for her unborn child, could be run consecutively.
Judge Kornish remanded Scott to jail pending his sentencing later this month.
Second-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter as well as finding Scott not guilty were among the other verdicts the jury could have considered.
Scott said during the trial that he slipped while getting his .357-caliber revolver from the gun safe in his bedroom closet and shot Robinette, who was sitting on the bed, by accident.
Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com
