Involuntary manslaughter conviction in teenager’s death
UNIONTOWN – A man has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of a standout high school athlete in Western Pennsylvania.
Hasani Simpkins, 22, of Uniontown was immediately sentenced Friday in Fayette County Court to 2½ to five years in prison.
Jurors deliberated for about an hour before deciding that Simpkins didn’t intend to kill 17-year-old Connellsville Area High School junior Darrell Ross during a November 2013 house party.
Police said Simpkins told officers that a .22-caliber revolver discharged unexpectedly. But prosecutors said he initially said the victim died playing Russian Roulette before acknowledging that he shot the victim in the back of the head. They sought a first-degree murder conviction.
Simpkins apologized to the victim’s family before sentencing, saying “If I could take back that day, I would.”