FORT WORTH -- Edward Earl Washington III did not pull the trigger on the gun that killed young rap artist Jarami Thomas in 2011 in a dispute about a $40 Super Bowl bet.
But he is still culpable, a Tarrant County jury decided this week.Washington, 18, was sentenced Wednesday to 35 years in prison. He faced a maximum sentence of 99 years.The jury had convicted him of a murder charge on Monday. He was acquitted on a second charge of engaging in organized criminal activity.The jury also assessed a $10,000 fine.Prosecutors showed the jury dozens of text messages sent by Washington to Thomas and other people threatening to kill Thomas, 20, for not paying the bet."I'm going to go to church first and then I'm going to smoke him," one text said.The texts illustrated the callousness of the slaying, prosecutor Kevin Rousseau said in his closing argument."This was premeditated, planned, announced in advance, executed and then acknowledged," he said.Rousseau also said that Washington could not be rehabilitated."Do the right thing and put this man away for a long, long time," Rousseau said.Washington's co-defendant, Clevin Brown Jr., was sentenced to 50 years in April after he was convicted of shooting Thomas.Washington targeted Thomas because he refused to pay a $40 Super Bowl bet made on Facebook, according to testimony. Thomas told friends he did not consider it a real bet and refused to pay.On March 14, 2011, Thomas agreed to meet Washington at a convenience store in the 3200 block of West Green Oaks Boulevard. They were both accompanied by friends.Brown pulled Thomas from his car, a fight ensued involving at least six people, and Brown pulled a gun and shot Thomas in his left arm and chest as they were falling to the ground, according to trial testimony.Washington's defense team reminded the jury that their client did not bring a gun to the fight. Attorney Mamie Bush Johnson said her client was "young and dumb, only 17.""We understand that he's guilty of murder under the law of parties," Johnson said. "We know he's going to prison. But in all fairness, he never had a gun. That's got to count for something."The law of parties holds conspirators equally culpable in the commission of a crime.Prosecutor Tamla Ray said jurors should not be concerned that Washington did not bring a gun because his partner, Brown, brought his."No one ever said he pulled the trigger," Ray said. "But Jarami Thomas would be here today had it not been for that man and his decisions."In a victim impact statement after the sentencing, Thomas' mother, Shirley Thomas, said: "I did not think I could hate someone as much as Clevin Brown, but I hate you more because you set this whole thing up. You've accomplished absolutely nothing in your whole miserable existence. Jarami left an indelible mark on the world. You left a stain."In an interview, Washington's father, Edward Washington Jr., said he wished he had been more involved in his son's life. "I served some prison time, twice, both possession of a controlled substance cases," the elder Washington said. "I spent about six years altogether. I just pray that God touches the jury's heart and that they have mercy on him and give him another chance."Washington must serve half the sentence before he is eligible for parole, according to prosecutors.The sentence "could have been worse and we knew that," Johnson said. "We're grateful."Mitch Mitchell, 817-390-7752Twitter: @mitchmitchel3Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
