In a heart-wrenching incident in Memphis, Tennessee, 10-year-old Denii Compton lost her life on April 21, 2014. The young girl was fatally shot in the face while at her home in the Whitehaven neighborhood. The person responsible for her death was her 13-year-old brother, Drama Compton. At the time of the shooting, the siblings were home alone.
Following the tragic event, Drama Compton was taken into custody and became one of the youngest individuals to face a murder charge in Shelby
County. Initially, his defense attorney claimed the shooting was a terrible accident and that the young boy was traumatized by his sister's death. However, the prosecution presented a different version of events, arguing that the act was intentional. They contended that after shooting his sister, Drama attempted to stage the crime scene by hiding the gun and moving a screwdriver near her body before seeking help from a neighbor. Investigators noted his familiarity with firearms as a factor supporting the murder charge.
Ultimately, Drama Compton pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. A juvenile court magistrate sentenced him to remain in a youth development home until he turned 19, the maximum allowable detention for a minor not tried as an adult. During his time in the facility, he was to receive counseling and anger management resources. The court also stipulated that if he were to be released early, he would not be permitted to return to his mother's home. Years later, in 2022, Drama Compton, then an adult, was arrested again in connection with the nonlethal shooting of a Memphis police officer and was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon.
