Dezmen Jones sentenced to life in prison

A Battle Creek man, Dezmen Jones, was sentenced Friday to spend the rest of his life in prison after his murder conviction.

Jones, 24, told Calhoun County Circuit Judge Sarah Lincoln he didn't have a part in the Aug. 9, 2015, killing of Breon Williams.

"I am sorry about what happened," Jones said, "but I am innocent."

Jones was found guilty by a jury on July 13 of first-degree murder and weapons violations in his second trial. The first ended with a deadlocked jury that voted 11-1 for a conviction.

Williams died from a gunshot wound to the chest about 2:15 a.m. as he was standing and talking to some women in a car near Walter Avenue and Hanover Street during a street party.

Prosecutors told jurors that Dezmen Jones and his uncle, Jermaine Jones, 23, had a longstanding dispute with Williams and had a confrontation earlier that evening at the Music Factory at 191 Angell St. The two men then enlisted two others to help them find Williams.

Those other two men were witnesses at the trials of both Dezmen Jones and his uncle, Jermaine Jones. Jermaine Jones also was convicted of first-degree murder and is serving a life sentence.

Assistant Prosecutor James Jordan said the sentence won't change what happened for the parents of Breon Williams.

"No matter what happens their son can't be brought back. It's a hard cost for everyone in this matter."

Williams' parents sat in the gallery but did not speak.

Defense attorney Mike Lind said he believes prosecutors presented inconsistent evidence and his client should not have been convicted.

"I can only hope his appeal will be successful," Lind said.

And Jones complained that witnesses were given deals to testify against him, that the jury was not one of his peers or race, that several of his constitutional rights were violated and his motions were not heard.

"The investigation was that they took their theory and made their own facts to fit instead of taking the facts and coming up with a theory about what actually happened," Jones said. "I never had a legitimate chance from the start of this case. It was all over social media and in the newspaper and on the news and my right to a speedy trial was not given to me."

But Lincoln said she presided over the trial and that Jones was judged by a jury of his peers and given a fair trial.

"It strikes me that the actions of yourself and the others with you led to a senseless murder," she said. "It is unfortunate that a disagreement had this big an effect on the community.

"Shooting someone is never the way to handle a situation like this."

Contact Trace Christenson at 269-966-0685 or tchrist@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on Twitter: @TSChristenson