Man sentenced to 25 years in connection with 2011 death of ODU student
The only man convicted of charges related to the 2011 shooting death of Old Dominion University student Christopher Cummings was sentenced Friday to 25 years in prison — a term well above what sentencing guidelines had suggested he serve.
Rashad Dooley, 30, was found guilty in September of conspiracy to commit murder and burglary, and attempted robbery at the end of a week-long trial in Norfolk Circuit Court.
While the maximum sentence allowed under the law was 30 years, state sentencing guidelines recommended Dooley receive a term between 9.5 and 16.5 years. The guidelines take into account a defendant’s history and the circumstances of the crime they’re convicted of.
“If there was ever a defendant who deserved to go above the guidelines, it’s Mr. Dooley,” Circuit Judge Michelle J. Atkins said before issuing the sentence. The judge pointed to Dooley’s long criminal history, which she said includes being a known gang member, and convictions of various assault, drug and probation violation charges.
Cummings father, James, broke down in tears multiple times while testifying during the hearing. He told Atkins about the close bond he had with his son, and how the young man’s death has devastated their family. James Cummings is a brother of the late U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings.
“You took the life of my son. The most valuable thing to me,” Cummings said as he looked at Dooley at the defense table. “You murdered the soul of my entire family. I will never forgive you.”
Dooley also wept as he continued to profess his innocence. His lawyer, Eric Korslund, has said his client turned down a deal that would have given him immunity from prosecution if he testified against his co-defendants because he said he wasn’t involved.
“You keep referring to me as a killer but I’m not killer,” Dooley said as he turned toward James Cummings in the courtroom. “I don’t know who did this.”
Dooley was one of four men charged in the case in August 2021 — more than 10 years after Cummings was killed and his roommate, James Carey, was critically injured during a home invasion and robbery attempt at their off-campus house.
Cummings, 20, was a student and fraternity member at the time, and also had been selling large amounts of marijuana from the house he and Carey shared on West 42nd Street. Carey was shot four times but survived. He also testified Friday, telling the judge about the physical and emotional pain he continues to suffer.
Charges against two of Dooley’s co-defendants were dismissed last year and the only other case that went to trial ended in an acquittal.
All four men were ordered held without bond after their arrest. But when the case against Kwuame Edwards was thrown out after his attorney argued prosecutors had mishandled it, the other three were granted bond and released.
Charges against Ahmad Watson were dropped a short time later, under similar conditions. Javon Doyle’s first trial ended with a hung jury and he was acquitted of all charges last week at the end of his second trial.
Dooley fled the courthouse before the jury verdict was announced at his trial last September. He was arrested three weeks later and charged with felony failure to appear. He’s due to be tried in that case on March 13.
Jane Harper, jane.harper@pilotonline.com
