Roberts accepted a plea deal that included him pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter.
Judge McElfresh sentences Roberts to 17 years in prison, 11 for involuntary manslaughter, additional 3 for use of a gun and 36 month for having weapons under disability. @journalnews
— Lauren Pack (@LPackJN) January 22, 2019
Family yells "loves you" as Roberts leaves the courtroom. @journalnews
— Lauren Pack (@LPackJN) January 22, 2019
INITIAL REPORT, Jan. 8, 2019
A Hamilton man charged with allegedly shooting a man to death in May will go to trial later this month, if a plea agreement is not reached.
Broderick Malik Jones Roberts, 21, of the 1200 block of Dayton Street, is facing murder, aggravated robbery, felonious assault and having weapons under disability charges for allegedly killing Jaspreet Singh, 32, of Monroe.
MORE: Hamilton man facing several charges from shooting
Singh suffered a gunshot wound to the upper torso on May 12, according to a Hamilton police report. He died a few days later, according to prosecutors.
Roberts allegedly shot Singh “while he sat in his vehicle on the Chestnut Avenue side of 502 East Ave.,” according to court documents. The shooting happened about 10:30 p.m.
During a pretrial hearing on Tuesday to discuss autopsy photos and Facebook posts that may be used at trial, Assistant Butler County Prosecutor Jon Marshall said there had been plea negotiations in the past, but Roberts changed his mind before pleading to a lesser charge.
Defense attorney Dennis Adams said he will be meeting with Roberts again this week and would know if a plea is possible by the end of the week. Judge Jennifer McElfresh set Jan. 17 as a last hearing date before Roberts’ trial is to begin on Jan. 28.
Roberts has been held in the Butler County Jail in lieu of a $1 million bond since his arrest. His trial was first scheduled to begin in October. But defense attorney David Washington withdrew from the case, and attorney Dennis Adams was appointed by the court.
MORE: $1 million bond set for man charged in fatal Hamilton shooting
Adams requested a continuance of the October trial in order to prepare.
“Counsel received five computer discs of discovery on Oct. 1. Counsel will not have time to review the contents of said discs prior to Oct. 8,” Adams wrote in the request for a continuance.
The continuance was granted, and Dec. 10 was set as the new trial date. The case was again continued at the request of Adams.
Manjinder Singh, a friend of Singh who is not related to him, told the Journal-News in May that his friend was a devoted father and husband who leaves behind four young children.
Jaspreet Singh was a native of India who had been in the U.S. for about eight years, according to his friend. Jaspreet Singh was active at the Guru Nanak Society in West Chester Twp., he said.
Roberts was sent to prison in 2016 after pleading guilty to trespass, unlawful restraint and assault, according to Butler County court records.
MORE: Area police, communities offer condolences after Colerain Twp. police officer’s death
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