On Wednesday, a man accused of killing five people in a shooting in 2014 was sentenced to five consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.
James Sparks-Henderson pleaded guilty to killing five people and trying to kill two children during the hearing in which he was faced with multiple counts of aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder, felonious assault and aggravated robbery. Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge John O’Donnell passed down the sentence without the possibility of parole, though in pleading guilty, Sparks-Henderson was able to avoid the death penalty.
During Sparks-Henderson’s statement, a family member of one of his victims attacked him, and Sparks-Henderson was surrounded by deputies to be escorted out. The family member who attacked Sparks-Henderson was taken from the courtroom.
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Sparks-Henderson was convicted of killing Lemon S. Bryant, 60; Sherita Johnson, 41; Ja’Rio Taylor, 19; and Shaylona Williams, 17. Johnson was seven months pregnant at the time of the shooting. Her 9-year-old daughter was also shot but survived, while her 2-year-old son was unharmed.
Then-prosecutor Timothy McGinty said after Sparks-Henderson was arrested in May 2015 that the man showed no remorse and even made a meal and went through victims’ pockets after the shooting. No motive was ever given for the shooting.
