Former NBA star convicted of killing Atlanta mother of 4 to be released from prison
A former NBA and Georgia Tech basketball star who received a new sentence after he killed a mother of four in 2011 will be released from prison after a judge denied a motion to rescind the new sentence.
Javaris Crittenton was sentenced to 23 years in prison and 17 years of probation after he pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Crittenton, an alleged gang member, is accused of shooting Julian Jones to death after he tried to shoot a man who allegedly robbed him days earlier. He did not intend to shoot Jones.
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Crittendon entered into a plea deal with former District Attorney Paul Howard that he would have the right to a modified sentence after he served five years and met certain behavior-based criteria, according to the order.
A document obtained by Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Mark Winne indicates Crittenton’s new sentence for voluntary manslaughter is twenty years, which includes close to a decade on probation, and 10 years in prison commuted to time served.
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The Fulton County District Attorney’s office says a senior assistant D.A. consented in court to the new sentence. After the new sentence was ruled on, the District Attorney’s office filed a motion to rescind Crittenton’s new sentence.
The D.A.’s office told Winne that current District Attorney Fani Willis was unaware of the sentence modification hearing that took place today until Winne called her office.
Willis previously defended Crittendon, and said she “lacked jurisdiction to enter into the consent modification” on his sentence.
According to new documents obtained by Winne, the motion to rescind the resentencing was denied Friday.
“Representation of a criminal defendant by a lawyer in the district attorney’s office does not automatically disqualify other members of that office from prosecuting the case,” the judge wrote.
Crittendn’s sentence modification has been accepted.
It’s unclear when he will be released.
The new sentence carries several special conditions, including 7,200 hours of community service during the first 10 years of his probation.
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The document also says Crittenton will be on Intensive Probation for the first five years “during which time he will be required to obtain, wear, and pay for a monitoring system approved by probation which he must wear at all times.
During the period of Intensive Probation, Mr. Crittenton will have a 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew and will only be authorized to be out of his house for pre-arranged volunteer activities as allowed by his probation officer.”
