By Jaedda Armstrong
NORFOLK
Grace McGee remembers talking to her son, Ronald Marcus, on the phone in May 2005. She called to see where he was, but he didn't make his location clear. He quickly told her he would call her right back.
Minutes later, Marcus was found dead in her car.
"He was a happy, funny guy. An all-around happy boy," McGee said, wiping tears from her eyes in court Friday morning.
McGee testified during the sentencing hearing of Stacey M. Cherry, one of two people convicted of her son's murder in the 300 block of Grandy Ave.
Prosecutors said Dontae Ebron, 21, pulled the trigger in two robberies set up by his friend, Cherry, who was 14 at the time. In the first robbery, the victim was injured. In the second robbery, a week later, Ebron shot and killed Marcus, 26.
On Friday, Cherry was sentenced for first-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and two counts of accessory after the fact.
Circuit Court Judge Everett A. Martin Jr. sentenced Cherry to 20 years in prison for the murder, all of which was suspended. Cherry, now 17, must serve time in a Department of Juvenile Justice facility until the age of 21. Upon his release, he'll serve five years in prison on the firearm and accessory charges.
Cherry, who has been in custody since his arrest in 2005, will be on probation until age 60.
Ebron, 21, was convicted and sentenced in 2007 to 30 years in prison.
"I know Stacey didn't kill my son, but I know if it weren't for him the incident would have never happened," McGee said.
The victim's 7-year-old daughter cries constantly for her father, McGee said.
During the hearing, Cherry said he didn't know Ebron was going to kill Marcus.
Cherry said h is cooperation in Ebron's conviction should be taken into consideration.
"I apologize for what happened," Cherry said to the victim's mother. "But I honestly didn't know what was going to happen before it happened."
It's true that young people make mistakes, "but all our mistakes don't end in the death of a man," said prosecutor Megan Zwisohn.
After the sentencing, McGee said she didn't expect Cherry to receive what she consider s a light sentence.
"I know he didn't kill my son, but he really didn't show any remorse," McGee said. "We just have to live with it and take it day by day."
Jaedda Armstrong, (757) 446-2346, jaedda.armstrong@pilotonline.com
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Teacher of Victim and Gunman
Ironically, I taught Ronald Marcus (we called him "Ron-lee"), the victim,during my first three years as a teacher at Northside and years later I taught Donte Ebron, the other perpetrator (shooter)at Lafayette-Winona Middle. Both were a delight. Ron-Lee was funny, friendly, and involved in our Gentlemen's Club. Donte was extremely bright, enrolled in all honors courses and sports; I don't understand what went wrong. Both boys were full of potential .... both had promising futures. This is just such a tragedy ...a great loss. As a teacher ... as a mother ... as a public servant in my community ... and as a human being ... I try to make sense of it all, but I just can't. All the acts of senseless violence being committed by our youth. All the senseless deaths of innoncent young people. In the words of the late R and B singer Marvin Gaye, "WHAT IS GOING ON?" My heart is heavy and my prayers go out to the families involved. I hope that families, schools, and community leaders can come together to develop and implement strategies that will assist in preventing youth violence from terrorizing our streets ...our neighborhoods .... our communities. I realize this is a national pro
No Remorse
I know that Stacy didn't show remorse. I taught Stacy when he was in 6th grade and it was obvious then that the young man was a sociopath. He was older than the other children, he bullied and intimidated them and even the teachers constantly. A sentence as light as the one he got is a joke. He will come out of prison even harder than he is now.