Death sought for 3 suspects in boxer's slaying

By Marcus K. Garner

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Fulton District Attorney Paul Howard will seek the death penalty for three suspects accused in the slaying of former professional boxing champion Vernon Forrest.

A Fulton grand jury on Tuesday will decide whether to indict 30-year-old Charman Sinkfield, DeMario Ware, 20, and Jquante Crews, 25, on charges of felony murder, aggravated assault, armed robbery and a handful of weapons charges stemming from the July 26 shooting death of Forrest.

Howard said he would press for the death sentence for all three men — even though police identified only Sinkfield as the triggerman — to send a message to would-be violent criminals.

“When you kill somebody in Fulton County in such a senseless and brutal way, the system ... is going to hold you accountable,” he said. “I mean, this guy was shot seven or eight times in the back. Three times, we believe, he was laying on the ground.”

Forrest’s family visited Howard Monday afternoon to discuss his indictment plans.

After the meeting, the family and Atlanta police announced a $10,000 reward, funded partially by Crime Stoppers, for the return of the items taken from the boxer the night he was shot to death, including the Forrest’s watch and championship ring.

Mildred Forrest, the boxer’s mother, offered a plea to return the Rolex watch and diamond-studded ring that read “4X World Champion.”

“I want my son back,” she said. “But I can’t have him, so this is very dear to my family. You can’t sell it or pawn it. Please just give it back, anonymously.”

Barely a month has passed since Forrest was shot down in a southwest Atlanta neighborhood while stopping to put air in his tires.

After an armed robber – allegedly Ware – confronted Forrest at a Whitehall Street convenient, the boxer produced his own gun and chased the suspect.

Forrest exchanged fire with Ware, but lost the younger man, and came across Sinkfield. The two exchanged words, and as Forrest turned to walk away, Sinkfield shot him in the back seven or eight times, police say.

This would make the fourth death sentence case in as many years that Howard has taken on.

He denied seeking notoriety for pushing capital punishment in high-profile cases like Forrest’s or that of convicted court-room shooter Brian Nichols. And Howard pointed to successful death sentences reached for Demetrius Willis and DeKelvin Martin.

“Two of the last people for whom we asked for the death penalty are unknown,” he said. “Check the procedure for how we went about prosecuting brutal murders.”

But Forrest’s death and the subsequent carjacking of City Councilman Ceasar Mitchell that same weekend were high-profile crimes — both coming on the heels of months-long weekend police furloughs — that fueled a growing public perception that crime in Atlanta was on the rise.

Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and police chief Richard Pennington emerged after nearly a week of criticism to announce a crackdown on violent crime and promise to hire 139 police officers by year’s end.

“Will this work? I have every confidence ... that this will, with everyone pulling in the right direction,” Franklin said.

But Howard said closing the Forrest case, and doing so swiftly, can help restore public confidence in law enforcement.

“I hope ... it will give people a measure of safety and security,” he said.