Crips gang member sentenced to life for killing outside club

Victim, 22, had on wrong color shirt at hip-hop party

Sue Lindsay, Rocky Mountain News

Published March 20, 2007 at midnight

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Gang member Lamar Blackwell was sentenced to life in prison, plus 18 years as a habitual offender, for killing a man in 2006 who was wearing the wrong color shirt at a hip-hop club.

Blackwell, 29, was convicted of first-degree murder in the shooting of 22-year-old Jerome Martin.

During the trial, prosecutors said Blackwell shot Martin in the back because he believed the victim had disrespected Blackwell's gang, the Crips, stepped on his shoes and was wearing a red or maroon shirt. Those colors are associated with the rival Bloods gang, though there is no indication that Martin was a member of that gang.

"His response is to senselessly gun down this young man in the prime of his life for absolutely no reason at all," prosecutor Tim Twining said Monday. "This was gang-fueled, outrageous nonsense."

Blackwell's defense attorney said his client had simply fired shots into the air, although Cleus Williams, who was with Blackwell at the club, testified that Blackwell told him he was going to "merc this fool," meaning he was going to kill him.

The shooting took place in a 16th Street Mall parking lot as Martin was leaving a hip-hop party at Club Beyond on April 5.

"It was senseless," Charlene Martin, Jerome Martin's mother, said. "There was no reason for it. But what angers me the most is he chose not to speak to police or anyone. So I don't know why he did it. That's the hardest part."

Martin said her son was working, going to college and had his own place.

"He was being responsible. He did everything he had to do," she said.

Charlene Martin said Jerome's death devastated her family. Jerome Martin's grandfather, who helped raise him, died of a heart attack several months after his grandson was killed. His grandmother suffered a heart attack during the trial in January.

Charlene Martin and other family members chose not to speak at the hearing Monday in Denver District Court, but sent letters to the judge.

"Justice has taken place and he has received a sentence to keep him off the streets for the rest of his life," Martin said.

Blackwell was classified as a habitual offender because of previous convictions in a 1998 drug case and a 2000 federal conviction as a felon in possession of a firearm. That led to an additional 18-year sentence for vehicular eluding.

After gunning down Martin, Blackwell led police on a chase that ended when he slammed his black Chevrolet Suburban into a police vehicle, Twining said.

Denver District Judge John Madden IV told Blackwell his "spur-of-the-moment" bad decision destroyed his life as well as Martin's.

"In the end, this is a tragedy for everyone involved," he said.

lindsays@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5181

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