In the early hours of July 30, 2014, 8-year-old Jakari Pearson was asleep in his bed in Detroit, Michigan, when his life was tragically cut short. A bullet fired from outside his home at the Brewster Homes public housing project penetrated a wall and struck the young boy in the chest. The shooting, which occurred around 1:20 a.m., was not a random act of violence but a calculated act of retaliation.
The day before the fatal shooting, Calvin Mosby, the 28-year-old ex-boyfriend of Jakari's
mother, had gone to her home and threatened her. This confrontation stemmed from an earlier break-in at her home, for which she believed Mosby was responsible. Neighbors later testified to hearing Mosby threaten to kill her for the accusation. In the hours that followed, Mosby left several angry voicemails for Jakari's mother.
Later that night, Mosby returned to the residence with 17-year-old Devaunte Starks. Armed with an AK-47 provided by a third individual, Mosby fired at Jakari's bedroom. After the shooting, Starks wrapped the assault rifle in his sweatshirt and concealed it. Jakari's mother was jolted awake by a cry she had never heard before and found her son with a hole in his chest. He was rushed to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Both Calvin Mosby and Devaunte Starks were arrested and faced charges for their involvement in Jakari's death. They were initially charged with first-degree murder, two counts of assault with intent to murder, and felony firearm charges. Mosby also faced an additional charge for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Following a preliminary hearing, a judge ordered Mosby to stand trial for first-degree murder. The same charge against Starks was dismissed; however, he was bound over for trial on charges of carrying a concealed weapon, being an accessory to a crime, and second-degree home invasion.
