A Detroit man who threw a single punch at an elderly tourist on a busy downtown sidewalk has been ordered to spend eight to 15 years in prison, closing a nearly yearlong criminal case that stretched from Campus Martius Park to a Wayne County courtroom.
Prosecutors say Lawrence Deonte Gilchrist walked up to an 81-year-old visitor from Germany near Campus Martius Park last September, hit him in the head on the 1000 block of Woodward Avenue, and left him with a fatal injury. The tourist later died in the hospital. Gilchrist ultimately pleaded guilty to manslaughter in January, and in exchange, prosecutors dropped a second-degree murder charge.
Guilty Plea Brings Case To A Close
According to ClickOnDetroit, Gilchrist entered a manslaughter plea earlier this year and returned to court last Friday to learn his punishment. The judge handed down an eight-to-15-year prison term after a sentencing hearing that revisited the attack and its fallout.
The Wayne County Sheriff’s records show Gilchrist’s booking history and reflect that the original second-degree murder count was dropped as the case moved through the courts. Court documents and local coverage state that the judge settled on the eight-to-15-year window that will now determine how long Gilchrist stays behind bars.
The Downtown Attack And Its Aftermath
Police say the assault happened on Sept. 7, 2024, in the 1000 block of Woodward Avenue, a short walk from Campus Martius Park. The victim, identified by prosecutors as 81-year-old Dieter Kirsch of Bremen, Germany, suffered a severe head injury after the punch…