On a Tuesday afternoon in November 2014, the life of 21-year-old Isaih Conyers, a Black male, was cut short in his own apartment in New Haven, Connecticut. On November 18th, police responded to a 911 call reporting gunshots at the Warwick Street Manor apartment complex. Inside, they found Conyers with gunshot wounds to his chest and leg. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The shooting unfolded in front of his toddler daughter, who was thankfully unharmed.
The investigation into Conyers' death suggested the assailant was likely someone he knew, as entry to the building required being buzzed in. Detectives spent the day interviewing potential witnesses, and the narrative that emerged pointed to a dispute over a marijuana sale. Evidence at the scene, including a revolver found near Conyers' body and bullet strikes, indicated an exchange of gunfire had taken place inside the apartment.
After a lengthy investigation, police arrested 20-year-old Latrell Roundtree in March 2016. He was charged with first-degree manslaughter with a firearm, carrying a pistol without a permit, and risk of injury to a minor. Roundtree was already incarcerated on unrelated drug charges at the time of his arrest in connection with Conyers' death.
However, the legal proceedings took a turn that was difficult for Conyers' family to accept. In June 2017, the manslaughter charge against Roundtree was nolled, meaning the state would not prosecute it at that time. Roundtree pleaded guilty to carrying a pistol without a permit and was sentenced to five years in prison. The prosecutor's decision was based on the evidence, which suggested a potential self-defense claim that would be difficult for the state to disprove beyond a reasonable doubt. Conyers' family, while expressing their pain and frustration, acknowledged they understood the legal reasoning behind the decision. His aunt remarked that the tragedy could have been avoided if neither man had a gun.
