“A heinous crime.”
Those are the words a judge used minutes before sentencing Kevin Robinson to 16 to 32 years in prison for a 2017 Frankford shooting that killed 25-year-old Michael Jones.
Assistant District Attorney Erica Rebstock said Robinson, now 22, fired four shots into Jones, his friend, over a dispute about a drug corner. The shooting took place Sept. 12, 2017, on the 1500 block of Dyre Street, near Frankford Avenue.
A jury convicted Robinson of third-degree murder and multiple gun charges last November, according to court records.
Rebstock had pushed for the maximum sentence for all charges, which would have been 25 to 50 years. She said Jones’ family, who attended the sentencing Aug. 14, has felt his death immensely.
“The loss of the victim was so unnecessary in this case,” Rebstock said.
She argued that Robinson was a danger to the community. Robinson has anger management issues, and he has a history of violent social media posts, including a photo holding what appears to be a gun that was uploaded on the day of the murder, Rebstock said.
Robinson’s attorney, Michael Berardinelli, argued that his client’s violent behavior stemmed from his untreated schizophrenia. He said Robinson could make rapid improvement with proper treatment.
Court of Common Pleas Judge Rose Marie Defino-Nastasi said she factored in Robinson’s mental illness in weighing her punishment, though she acknowledged the senselessness of the crime.
“When you take a life, it’s so permanent for everyone involved,” Defino-Nastasi said.
Robinson, who entered the courtroom in handcuffs wearing a white dress shirt and dark pants, declined to speak before Defino-Nastasi handed down his sentence.
He did, however, argue earlier in the hearing that he should be able to represent himself because of irreconcilable differences he had with Berardinelli. In July, Defino-Nastasi appointed Berardinelli after Robinson wrote her a letter complaining about his trial attorney.
Robinson indicated that he believed DNA should have been tested from a green sweater that was connected to the killing.
Defino-Nastasi ruled that Robinson wasn’t capable of representing himself and advised him that he could appeal his sentence or file a post-sentence motion.
Robinson’s father addressed the court, saying he raised his son to be honest and to stay out of trouble. He also apologized to Jones’ family. ••
