Murder charge is dismissed
By John Joyce
Published in News on July 12, 2013 1:46 PM
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Shantanna Thompson
jjoyce@newsargus.com
A Goldsboro man charged with murder was found guilty of a lesser charge after a key witness against him was killed before he could testify.
Shantanna Thompson, 25, of Goldsboro, was convicted in Wayne County Superior Court Wednesday of possession of a firearm by a felon after charges of murder and assault with a deadly weapon were dismissed.
Thompson was believed by investigators to be involved in a Sept. 4, 2011, shooting that killed Darrell Maurice Best of 1102 Devereaux St.
The witness in the case, 18-year-old Shabazz Woods, was himself murdered in January in what police described as an unrelated incident.
"We decided to get him (Thompson) on what we could," said Matt Delbridge, the prosecuting assistant district attorney.
Delbridge said he spoke with Best's family and, without a witness able to testify to the killing, it was agreed to go forward with just the weapons charge.
Thompson was sentenced to a minimum of 19 and a maximum of 23 months in prison. He was given credit for 671 days served.