Sentencing for 19-year-old in Sacramento teen’s shooting death delayed
Keymontae Lindsey was convicted in J.J. Clavo's shooting death
Keymontae Lindsey was convicted in J.J. Clavo's shooting death
Keymontae Lindsey was convicted in J.J. Clavo's shooting death
There was a stunning development Monday in the sentencing of a teenager convicted of murdering Grant High School football player J.J. Clavo.
The sentencing for Keymontae Lindsey was continued until Oct. 4 after a new admission in Sacramento County Superior Court -- a claim by the defense that someone else has admitted to pulling the trigger.
“I don't believe there's any credibility to the statement,” said Nicole Clavo, mother of J.J. Clavo, who was gunned down in Nov. 13, 2015, while going to a football game.
Lindsey was 15 at the time of the deadly shooting and was convicted of killing Clavo on Aug. 6 in juvenile court by a judge. His defense attorney, Kevin Adamson, said in court Monday that a middle-aged drug defendant named Derek Henderson had confessed to the crime.
“Our intent was to go forward with sentencing today," Adamson said in a statement. "However, just last week, the district attorney’s office provided me a police report from 2018 in an unrelated drug case in which another person confessed to this crime. I now have a legal and ethical obligation to investigate this new potential evidence.”
“Surprising, shocking,” said Nicole Clavo. “None of the victims, none of the witnesses have testified in this case have ever said that anybody was over the age of 40, so it's surprising to us all. And at the same time, I believe justice will be served.”
Lindsey said he was not happy with the continuance. He told the judge, “I would like to be sentenced today. I’m just trying to serve my time.”
Lindsey was a juvenile at the time of the shooting and, under a new California law, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office was prohibited from prosecuting him as a adult. As a result, Lindsey will be sentenced as a juvenile and could be released from prison by age 23.
Now, that sentencing has been postponed until October.
“It was uncertain who actually committed this crime," Lindsey’s mother, Ranika Moore said. "With someone else coming out and confessing to it, hey we'll see where it goes. But, I stand by my son 100% that he is innocent.”
“While it is not unusual in the gang setting for individuals to claim responsibility for criminal conduct that they in fact (have) no connection to, that allegation has been and will continue to be investigated," said Rod Norgaard, bureau chief for the Sacramento District Attorney’s Office, in a statement. "Keymontae Lindsey’s sentencing hearing was continued based on that investigation.”