An investigation revealed that Liming’s chest had been stomped on, though the official cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head.
The brothers charged in the death of 17-year-old Ethan Liming at LeBron James’ Promise School in Akron, Ohio were sentenced in October, coming one month after a jury could not come to a unanimous decision on a count of first-degree felony involuntary manslaughter one of the brothers was charged with.
21-year-old Deshawn Stafford, who was found guilty of aggravated assault and assault was sentenced to 18 months in prison and six months in jail. The sentences will be served simultaneously, according to WKYC.
Tyler Stafford, his 20-year-old brother, who had been found guilty of assault, was sentenced to six months in jail. Both brothers were found not guilty of involuntary manslaughter.
The elder Stafford had faced an additional count of first-degree felony involuntary manslaughter in connection to the death. A jury in September was unable to reach a unanimous decision on the charge, leading Summit County Common Pleas Judge Tammy O’Brien to declare it a mistrial.
Following the verdict, the Liming family's attorney Mr. Guttierez said his clients were "devastated," and "feel their son was murdered yet again."
"They've been brutally victimized by these individuals that night," he said, "and now they've been victimized again by the system."
Ethan Liming’s family gave victim impact statements ahead of the sentencing hearing.
"Every time I drive by the I Promise School I am filled with absolute heartache and fear. If only I could have been there to help my child that night. If only I could’ve held my son in my arms one more time, but you stole that opportunity away from me,” said Liming’s father Bill Liming.
Kristi Lang, Liming’s aunt, spoke at the hearing on the pain the family has gone through.
"You have shattered our family. We were once so close sharing weekly family meals, celebrating every birthday and holiday. Now we can barely get together because the loss of Ethan hurts so much and we have no words to comfort each other. We feel lost because he is absent and he will never join us again,” said Lang.
The two brothers were playing basketball at Lebron James' school in June of 2022 when Liming and his friends pulled up and began shooting a SPLATRBALL Water Bead Blaster at them. A fight ensued, and Liming was punched unconscious. An investigation revealed that Liming's chest had been stomped on, though the official cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head.
The Staffords proceeded to steal Liming's crew's car and drive off.
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