Stephone LaQuinton Berry
(Smith County Insider Press) – Stephone LaQuinton Berry has plead guilty to Second Degree Murder.
According to the original arrest warrant, Stephone Berry committed “criminal homicide by intentionally killing Dawn Duke,” repeatedly stabbing her with a knife in October, 2013.
The TBI investigation revealed that on the evening of October 24, 2013, and into the early morning hours of October 25, Melinda Bush drove both Stephone Berry and Dawn Duke to the area of Thomas Ridge Road in Pleasant Shade. At the time, Bush told TBI investigators that all three of them exited the vehicle, and she then witnessed Berry repeatedly stab Dawn Duke.
Both Berry and Bush were charged with premeditated First Degree Murder following the TBI investigation.
Berry’s trial was set for the week of May 7, 2018. Before the trial began, Berry plead guilty to Second Degree Murder, agreeing to serve 100% of a 31 year sentence and receiving credit beginning October 25, 2013.
In Tennessee, Second Degree Murder is considered a lesser charge than First Degree Murder. Had Berry been convicted of the original First Degree Murder charge, he could have faced the death penalty.
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