AKRON, Ohio — One month after a jury announced their verdict in the case against two brothers charged in connection with the death of 17-year-old Ethan Liming outside of the I PROMISE School in Akron, both Deshawn and Tyler Stafford were back in court this afternoon for sentencing.
Deshawn Stafford, 21, who was previously found guilty of aggravated assault and assault was sentenced to 18 months in prison, as well as six months in jail. Both of the sentences will be served at the same time.
His 20-year-old brother, Tyler Stafford, who was previously found guilty of assault, was sentenced to six months in jail. Because of overcrowding, he may serve his time at a neighboring county jail or the Community Alternative Sentencing Center (CASC).
3News streamed the full sentencing hearing, which can be viewed below.
Ahead of the sentencing, Ethan Liming's family gave victim impact statements.
"Every time I drive by the I Promise School I am filled with absolute heartache and fear. If only I could have been there to help my child that night. If only I could’ve held my son in my arms one more time, but you stole that opportunity away from me,” said Ethan’s father Bill Liming.
Ethan's aunt, Kristi Lang also spoke at the hearing about the pain and suffering their family has been dealing with.
“You have shattered our family. We were once so close sharing weekly family meals, celebrating every birthday and holiday. Now we can barely get together because the loss of Ethan hurts so much and we have no words to comfort each other. We feel lost because he is absent and he will never join us again,” said Lang.
It was back on Sept. 25 when the jury issued the following verdicts in the case:
21-year-old Deshawn Stafford
- Aggravated assault: Guilty
- Assault: Guilty
- Involuntary manslaughter (count 3): Not guilty
- Involuntary manslaughter (count 1): No verdict (mistrial declared on this count)
20-year-old Tyler Stafford
- Assault: Guilty
- Involuntary manslaughter: Not guilty
Both Stafford brothers had each initially been charged with murder, but those charges were reduced last August when a Summit County grand jury issued new indictments.
A third suspect charged in the case -- Donovan Jones -- previously pleaded no contest to two counts of misdemeanor assault and was given a suspended sentence of 180 days.
CASE DETAILS
Authorities say the incident happened after Ethan and friends shot at the defendants with a SplatRBall water pellet gun on a basketball court on June 2, 2022.
The Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office listed Ethan's cause of death as follows:
- Cause of death: Blunt force head injuries
- Manner of death ruled homicide: Struck head on asphalt during altercation
The report, which 3News obtained last October, says it was shortly before 11 p.m. that night when emergency crews were notified of a fight in a parking lot with one person unconscious and injured. Upon their arrival, Ethan was found to be unresponsive and wasn’t breathing. He was pronounced dead at 11:05 p.m.
The Summit County Medical Examiner’s autopsy report also lists multiple blunt force injuries to various parts of Ethan’s body.
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