A Minneapolis, Minnesota woman was sentenced Tuesday to three years in prison for the accidental shooting death of a 20-year-old St. Paul man in 2019.
21-year-old Markeia Felicity Carlvin pleaded guilty in April to the accidental shooting of her friend Randy Davis, Jr., in the chest while playing with a gun at a party August 19, 2019.
Her attorney, Patricia Hughes, asked for leniency because Carlvin is seven months pregnant, but Ramsey County District Court Judge Paul Yang denied the request.
“Ms. Carlvin committed this act; she took the life of Mr. Davis and she left the scene,” Yang said.
The shooting happened around 10:30 a.m. in the Payne-Phalen neighborhood on the 1000 block of Sims Avenue.
Carlvin had rented the house for her birthday party. Davis and Carlvin were playing with two guns, taking photos, when at one point Carlvin, picked one up, pointed it at Davis and pulled the trigger.
Davis was struck in the chest and was pronounced dead at Regions Hospital. Carlvin fled the house.
Davis’ family members tearfully read statements at the sentencing, asking the judge for jail time for Carlvin. They described Davis as a kind, funny, witty man with “the most beautiful smile.”
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They described the trauma the family has felt since his death and the negative effect it has had on the younger cousins.
“When I visualize my brother, I see him laying there calling out for his mom with his last breath with no one there to help him,” said Tanaya Young, Davis’ older sister. “This is one of the most devastating things a mother can go through. I’ve watched her break every day and it hurts me to my core.”
Davis was the second of four children. His mother, Dana Davis, sobbed with relief when the sentence was read.
“I don’t believe she’s sorry,” she said of Carlvin. “A person that was sorry would at least have given me a phone call.”
Per Minnesota law, Carlvin will spend two-thirds of her sentence in custody and one-third on probation.
When asked if she wished to make a statement, Carlvin said, “I want to say sorry to his family. I am truly sorry.”
Carlvin was allowed to hug her family good-bye as she was taken into custody. She will be given credit for 127 days served.
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