Months after Dakinga York shot and killed her sister Veronica Bell, 45, the pain of her loss is still fresh in Angela Bell’s mind.
“You took her from her only child,” she said. “You cheated my sister out of years of her life.”
She spoke Tuesday morning to 41-year-old York at his sentencing hearing moments after he pleaded guilty to killing Bell. Summit County Common Pleas Judge Christine Croce sentenced him to 15 to 20½ years in prison.
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York entered into a deal Tuesday with Summit County prosecutors in which he pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter with an associated firearm specification, aggravated assault and tampering with evidence.
Prosecutors dismissed the counts of murder, felonious assault and an association firearm specification.
Self-defense or fatal shooting of an unarmed woman?
York’s plea agreement was reached the same day jury selection was slated to begin in his murder trial. Attorney Michael Edminister said if it wasn’t for the charge of murder, his client would have gone to a jury trial. Court filings show York intended to argue self-defense.