Man sentenced to 8 years for manslaughter after killing a Lexington father
A 27-year-old man who pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter was sentenced Tuesday to eight years in prison.
Danzell Cruse was originally charged with murder, possessing a handgun as a convicted felon and being a persistent felony offender following the shooting of 38-year-old Jocko Green in a parking lot outside of an apartment complex in July 2021.
After Cruse’s defense attorney and prosecutors came together to mediate the case with a retired judge, Cruse pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter. The other two charges were dismissed. He was given credit for his time served awaiting the outcome of the case to contribute to his eight-year sentence.
Cruse pleaded guilty in May and was sentenced Tuesday by Fayette Circuit Judge Jeffrey Taylor.
Victim’s family: 8-year sentence ‘is not justice’
Several of Green’s loved ones, including his wife and his 14-year-old daughter, spoke in court Wednesday and said the eight years would not serve justice for their loss.
Green’s sister, Martina Morton, said eight years imprisonment would not bring her brother back.
“Eight years, that is not justice,” she said. “Eight years is not going to bring these kids their dad back. That is not fair and he did not deserve to die. If justice does not happen to you now, and you get off on these charges, then it is going to keep happening with kids picking up guns.”
Shooter claimed self-defense
Cruse and his attorney, Brent Cox, said Cruse shot Green in self-defense and that was why they felt the eight years was a justified sentence.
“My client took a shot so he didn’t get shot,” Cox said in court Tuesday. “He acted in self defense and we are at the number of years we are at in this case because of that. I don’t mean to make anyone mad, but that is the truth of the matter. ...There is blame to go around on both sides.
“There are a lot of people dying in the community the last few years, and if people didn’t have guns then there would be sometimes they wouldn’t die. (Cruse) had a gun and he is up here.”
Cruse said he did everything he could to diffuse the situation with Green and said he knew Green for many years.
“I feel for the family I really do,” Cruse said in court. “We definitely have a long history together and I tried my best to diffuse the situation. But I could have brought someone up here to degrade (Green) and gone through with a trial, but I didn’t want to do that. I believe in God as well, and the only reason I am here is because (Green) is not.”
