Background: The housing projects in Chattanooga, Tenn. where Michael Williams was attacked by Marvin Jermane Davis in 2020 (Google Maps). Inset: Marvin Jermane Davis (Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office).
A Tennessee man was sentenced to prison time years after he fatally shot and beat a man in a crime prosecutors called “really disgusting, actually.”
Marvin Jermane Davis, 51, faced conviction for voluntary manslaughter and illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon more than five years after he inflicted fatal injuries on 32-year-old Michael Williams. Williams succumbed to his injuries four months following the incident.
In courtroom proceedings reported by the Chattanooga Times Free Press, Assistant District Attorney Jason Demastus informed the court that surveillance footage documented the entire crime. He stated, “[T]he victim, as seen in the video, appeared incapacitated, unable to move his legs, crawling around and reaching out to the defendant, who continued to strike him with the gun’s barrel. There was no pause. He kept firing until achieving his intended result.”
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Davis’ defense attorney, Dan Ripper, told the court that while the video evidence from the Jan. 3, 2020 incident may be damning, this was a “one-off” event despite Davis’ long criminal history. Ripper seemingly went as far as blaming Williams for creating the “circumstances” that set Davis up to commit the violent act, saying, “I don’t think Mr. Davis set out here to violate the laws. You have a circumstance where the victim — not saying the victim caused it — but provided circumstances under which it could happen.”
Ripper further said that Davis had been provoked by Williams and acted out of fear, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
During the trial, Demastus described the case as “really disgusting, actually.” After the verdict was delivered, he maintained that the video evidence showed that Davis’ crime against Williams was premeditated.
The jury found Davis guilty of involuntary manslaughter but acquitted him of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to a total of 18 years in prison — six years for voluntary manslaughter and 12 years for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, plus credit for time served.
