White Mother of Murder Victim Rips into Black Killer in Court

M Live
September 21, 2014

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Gary Ogreen was shot and killed by the uninvited Black thug at a party.

Gary Ogreen wanted to be a police officer.

The former high school athlete-turned college student — who stood 6 foot, 5 inches tall, a spitting image of his father – wanted to get married, have a couple of boys of his own, but now none of that will happen, said his grieving parents at the sentencing of their youngest son’s killer, Deontay DeMarco Black-Wickliffe.

The courtroom, packed full of friends and family of Ogreen, and some on the opposite side for the Black-Wickliffe family, sat quietly, some weeping while embracing each other, as the parents gave heart-wrenching statements at the podium in front of the judge.

“Do you know how I spent my Christmas? I got to bury my son and his Christmas presents, thanks to you,” said Ogreen’s mother, Jeanette Ogreen, turning to face her son’s killer.

“You have no idea whatsoever what you’ve taken from me. You have no remorse. I would love to get a hold of you. You’re a sick individual. … I won’t get a grandchild. I hope you get everything you deserve in prison. Jesus will take care of you after that.”

Both parents addressed 22-year-old Black-Wickliffe, who wore an orange jail jumpsuit with a cross around his neck, during his sentencing on Thursday, Sept. 18, in the courtroom of Muskegon County Circuit Judge Timothy G. Hicks.

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Jeanette Ogreen is comforted by her mother-in-law at Court.

Black-Wickliffe was sentenced to 28 to 63 years in prison for the murder charge; 21 to 50 years for the three counts of assault with intent to murder; and two years for felony firearm. He lost a motion to withdraw his earlier no-contest plea to the charge on Thursday as well.

Ogreen, 21, was fatally shot in the chest on Dec. 21, 2013, after a large group of uninvited guests – including Black-Wickliffe — showed up and an outdoor fight erupted between one of them and one of the partygoers.

Authorities said Black-Wickliffe shot Ogreen when he fired off a spray of bullets outside the party after the fight, which did not involve Ogreen, ensued.

Wounded by gunshots were Julius Pamer, shot in the buttocks, the man who knocked out a friend of Black-Wickliffe’s in a fistfight and allegedly kicked the friend in the head; Nicholas Gifford, whose right thigh was broken by a bullet; and Cody Sharlow, shot in the hip area.

Also charged in the case is Alexander Bumstead, 23, of Blue Lake Township. Bumstead is charged with involuntary manslaughter for allegedly pointing out Pamer to Black-Wickliffe while allegedly knowing that Black-Wickliffe sometimes carried a gun.

Bumstead is cooperating with prosecutors and was expected to testify at Black-Wickliffe’s trial. He was the only witness at Black-Wickliffe’s preliminary examination Feb. 12 who identified Black-Wickliffe as the shooter. None of the shooting victims saw who fired the shots.

Black-Wickliffe sat with little visible emotion Thursday at the defense table with his attorney. He looked Ogreen’s parents in the face while they addressed him.

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Poor Deontay Demarkco Wickliffe. People just dont understand the very difficult upbringing that Deontay went through, that made him spray the party with bullets, killing an innocent bystander and injuring 4 others.

“He’s a coward. You can’t give him enough time to satisfy my family,” Ogreen’s father, Gary Ogreen, told Hicks. “My boys are a mess. I want him put away. I want him done and I want him gone.”

Ogreen is survived by two brothers: Levi, 29, and Lance, 24.

Black-Wickliffe, who denied being the shooter, chose to address the court briefly following the parents’ statements. Hicks allowed the statement to be given from the defense table.

He stood facing the judge.

“I just wish that it was me instead of him. I wish it was me so I can be in heaven with my dad and he can be here with his family,” he said.

His statement brought little reaction from the courtroom, but Hicks did address the upbringing of Black-Wickliffe, who is no stranger to the court system. Hick said Black-Wickliffe was provided “some help” over the years in family court and was offered other assistance programs to steer him from a life of crime.

“This is more difficult than you think. This judge really can’t react emotionally; we aren’t supposed to do that. We’re hearing a tremendous amount of anger from Gary’s side of the courtroom and I get it. I get the anger. What the people on this side don’t understand is the very difficult upbringing that Deontay went through that led him to this spot,” Hicks said.

“Does it justify taking a handgun … (and using it in) a spraying fashion? No, it doesn’t.”

The judge went on to say that Black-Wickliffe, whose father died, has a previous record that includes armed robbery dating back to 2008, carrying a concealed weapon and felony firearm.

“Unfortunately, this day was not unforeseen,” the judge said of Black-Wickliffe’s sentencing.