HARRISON TOWNSHIP — A man learned how long he will spend in prison for killing a 30-year-old man in Dayton.
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As reported on News Center 7 at 6:00, Talbert Grooms pleaded guilty to killing Jordan Ashe last November.
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The shooting happened a year ago in Harrison Township at the Palms Grill and Lounge.
Ashe was a security guard at the lounge but was off duty at the time.
He got involved in a fight with the customer, which ended in a shooting.
“My son’s life was taken due to the fact that this monster couldn’t take the loss. He lost a fight, a fist fight, and retaliated by going to get a firearm and shooting and killing my son,” Nicolea Wise, Ashe’s mother, said.
Wise told a judge that she wanted the maximum sentence, even admitting she would have liked the death penalty for Grooms.
“Talbert Lawrence Grooms, who I will forever refer to as uncivilized, unsocialized, institutionalized, inhumane murderer, who should never be released back into society,” Wise said.
Sheriff’s deputies and prosecutors said Grooms and Ashe had a disagreement that led to a brief fight.
They said Grooms left the building, grabbed his gun from his car, and walked back to shoot Ashe.
Grooms drove away but crashed and was caught by the authorities.
He pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, which came with an agreed sentence of 17 to 22 years. As part of the plea agreement, murder charges were dropped.
Grooms’ lawyer claimed he was beaten within an inch of his life.
He made one small statement in court.
“I just want to say this was an unfortunate set of circumstances and I’m really sorry to the family,” Grooms said.
“My son was deserving of a lot of things in his 30 years of life, but he did not deserve to be a murder victim,” Wise said.
Ashe’s family didn’t believe Grooms had any real remorse for his actions.
They say Ashe’s death left two children without a father and the entire family hurting for years to come.
“So, yes, I wish you eternal pain and suffering until you reach the gates of Hell,” Wise said.
Grooms left the courtroom and went straight into the custody of the Ohio prison system.
In 17 years, he will have his first chance to ask the parole board to be released, but there is no guarantee.
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