After one of the three men charged with the murder of Andre Emmett pleaded guilty to a lesser armed robbery charge, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
The father of two young girls, Emmett was an ex-pro basketball star at Texas Tech and Carter High School before joining the NBA. In September 2019, a group of men robbed and murdered Emmett outside his home, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Keith Johnson was charged in connection to the robbery that ended in Emmett’s death. Reports claim that Keith and two other men followed him from the club and attacked him. One of the men has already been sentenced for his involvement in Emmett’s murder, while another awaits trial.
Johnson’s trial took a different turn when he took the offer of a plea deal from prosecutors on October 24.
Regina Oliver, Emmett’s mother, expressed her disappointment and pain at the court’s judgment concerning her son’s death. However, she told the district attorney she would consent to the court’s decision since Johnson would do jail time.
Oliver became very emotional thinking about the short life her son lived. She spoke about her joy when her son kicked off his career in the NBA with the Memphis Grizzlies.
“We were all jumping around,” she recalled. “Champagne was going everywhere. Even though it was the second round, he was happy.”
During court proceedings, evidence from Emmett’s doorbell camera was presented, showing that it had captured his murder. According to the footage, he was shot after his robbers had already taken his jewelry.
Oliver revealed that Johnson’s mother apologized to her in the courtroom on Monday.
“I know she is emotional too, but even though her son is gone for 20 years, she can still visit him,” she commented.
Before Johnson left the courtroom, Oliver asked him in her statement why he took her son from her.
“One day I will be okay, but not today,” she said, sharing that her heart has broken. After watching her son nurture his career for 18 years and be a great dad while at it, she said she feels “defeated by this death.”
However, the grieving mother takes solace in the fact that Larry Jenkins, who pulled the trigger, was sentenced to life in prison without parole, and Michael Lucky, the third person, awaits trial.
“Two down, one to go,” she said, “and that’s what I will stand by.”
