May 12—LIMA — Lima resident Deontray Forrest was sentenced Thursday evening to a prison term of 24 years to life just minutes after an Allen County jury returned guilty verdicts against him on charges of murder, felonious assault and having weapons under disability.

The verdicts came after three hours of deliberation. Testimony in the four-day trial ended earlier that afternoon.

The charges against Forrest were linked to events that occurred at Levels Lounge, 122 E. North St. in downtown Lima on Feb. 4, 2020. Three persons died that morning when White shot and killed Devontae Upshaw and his own brother, Terell McGraw, just inside the front door of the bar. Forrest then followed the fleeing White into a parking lot adjacent to the bar and fired several shots in what he testified was in response to fear for his own safety and that of a friend. White's body was found by a sheriffs's deputy lying face down in the walkway leading from the parking lot to Main Street. He had been shot in the chest and legs.

Forrest, 27, was indicted on two counts of murder, which are unclassified felonies, along with a second-degree felony charge of felonious assault. Each count includes a firearm specification. He was also charged with having weapons under disability.

Forrest's attorney claimed his client used self-defense in accordance with Ohio law and was simply protecting himself when he shot White.

The jurors rejected that argument.