A 2022 marijuana sale in Old Oakland that prosecutors described as routine ended in a killing that will now keep 49-year-old Redman Collins behind bars for decades. Collins has been sentenced to life in prison, with a chance at parole only after 40 years, for the shooting death of 31-year-old Antwan Runnels near Lafayette Square Park on Oct. 12, 2022. A jury earlier this year found Collins guilty of second-degree murder and related weapons enhancements, and an Alameda County judge imposed the lengthy term in December. Collins received credit for the time he has already spent in custody while the case moved through court and remains in the county jail awaiting transfer to state prison. Runnels’ death put an uncomfortable spotlight on street-level drug deals in the Old Oakland neighborhood.
According to The Mercury News, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Delia Trevino handed down the sentence on Dec. 9. The outlet reports that Collins will not be eligible for parole until he has served roughly four decades. That jurors also found him guilty of a firearm enhancement connected to the killing.
How Prosecutors Say the Deal Turned Violent
At trial, prosecutors said the men met on Oct. 12, 2022, “for a marijuana deal” in Old Oakland. According to their account, the situation escalated when Runnels shoved Collins’ nephew. Collins then pulled out a gun and shot Runnels near Lafayette Square Park, as reported by The Mercury News. Jurors concluded the evidence supported a conviction for second-degree murder along with the gun enhancement.
Sentence Credits and Current Custody
Public case records from the Alameda County Superior Court indicate that the judge factored in Collins’ pretrial custody time when calculating the total term. Collins is currently listed as being held at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin while officials complete the transfer to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation…