Two men have been convicted of murder for the 2021 slaying of a Hinesville man, but jurors returned a verdict of not guilty on a third defendant.
Sentencing will be held August 12 for Dadreion Lashawn Ceasar and Donnell Bernard Mention, each found guilty in the August 2021 shooting death of Janarick Reed. A third defendant, Stephon Whitaker, faces sentencing on the same date for lesser charges, but jurors returned a verdict of not guilty on three counts of murder and one count of aggravated assault brought against Whitaker.
Jurors handed down their decisions July 24 after an eight-day trial in Liberty County Superior Court. Reed, 24 years old at the time, was shot and killed in a convenience store parking lot off E.G. Miles Parkway on August 25, 2021.
Ceasar and Mention were found not guilty of malice murder but received guilty verdicts on voluntary manslaughter and felony murder. Mention, 17 years old at the time of the shooting, was found guilty on a second count of felony murder and Ceasar and Mention each were found guilty of aggravated assault, along with guilty verdicts on charges of possession of a firearm during commission of a felony and violations of the street gang terrorism and prevention act.
Indictments were handed down in June 2022 for one count of malice murder, two counts of felony murder, one count of aggravated assault and two counts for violation of the street gang terrorism and prevention act for Whitaker, Ceasar and Mention. The three men were accused of shooting Reed during a drug transaction and taking the marijuana in question from Reed, along with being members of the Hopout on You gang.
Whitaker, now 21 years old, was found guilty of two counts of a criminal attempt to commit a felony and two counts of street gang activity.
“On behalf of Stephon Whitaker, we are very pleased with the jury’s verdict,” Whitaker’s attorney, Boone Phillips, said in a statement. “The result of the trial is a testament to the strength of our justice system and reaffirms the principle that every individual is innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. We understand that this trial has garnered significant attention from the media and the public. We kindly request respect for Mr. Whitaker’s privacy as he looks forward to rebuilding his life following this ordeal. We also extend our deepest sympathies to the victim’s family, recognizing the emotional toll this process has taken on all parties involved.”