A former Madison High School basketball standout in Dallas is expected to avoid prison time in the March 2014 death of a basketball player from another school, according to The Dallas Morning News.
Police said Johnathan, now 20, beat Troy, a player at Wilmer Hutchins High School, in March 2014. Although the two seniors attended different schools, the report says they lived together in southeast Oak Cliff as part of a Dallas ISD athletics recruiting scandal.
Johnathan was initially charged with murder. Per the report, he was expected to accept a plea deal in exchange for seven years of deferred adjudication, a type of probation. If he follows the conditions, which include staying away from Troy’s mother, he could avoid a formal conviction on his record.
Troy’s mother, Tammy, told reporters she was unhappy with the outcome, saying, “This isn’t justice.” She also criticized the Dallas County District Attorney for not using the case to show a willingness to take tougher cases to trial.
Johnathan’s defense attorney declined to comment until the deal was finalized, and the Dallas County District Attorney’s office does not comment on pending cases.
Source: The Dallas Morning News
