The 23-year-old charged in the fatal shooting of a Birmingham high school football coach has been granted bond.
De’Corlion Keshaun Robinson is charged with murder in the Wednesday night death of 39-year-old Demetrice Darnell Beverly, a husband and father of three daughters who was an assistant football coach at Parker High School.
Robinson is also charged with unlawful possession of a machine gun conversion device.
Robinson appeared Monday before Jefferson County District Judge Kandice Pickett for an Aniah’s Law hearing.
The judge said initially the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office was seeking to have the suspect held without bond but said Monday that had changed.
Deputy District Attorney Joe Hicks told the court that the Birmingham Police Department, in consultation with Beverly’s family, recommended a $150,000 bond for the murder charge, to which the district attorney’s office agreed.
Robinson’s $15,000 bond for the Glock switch charge also remains in place.
The agreement to a bond prevented testimony being presented during an Aniah’s Law hearing.
Multiple family members of Beverly, including his wife and father, were in court Monday. Numerous members of Robinson’s family were also in attendance.
Robinson is set for a preliminary hearing next month unless he waives that right or is indicted by a grand jury before then.
His mother has started a GoFundMe to help with his legal expenses. Nearly $5,000 has been raised in three days.
Birmingham’s South Precinct officers responded shortly after 9 p.m. Wednesday to a 911 call of a person shot at the apartment complex.
Police went into the apartment and found Beverly unresponsive in the apartment’s bedroom, said Sgt. LaQuitta Wade.
Beverly’s father said his son was visiting a female friend and was shot multiple times with a Glock switch by the woman’s boyfriend.
Beverly was pronounced dead on the scene at 9:26 p.m.
Defense attorney Emory Anthony on Monday said Robinson lived with his girlfriend of six years at the apartment.
Robinson, the attorney said, came home from work to find the victim and his girlfriend there, which led to Robinson firing the fatal shots.
“When you look at it, at best, is should have been manslaughter instead of murder, heat of passion under the facts of the case that will eventually come out,” Anthony said.
“I think the district attorney’s office is being reasonable (for agreeing to bond) and I thank them for that,” Anthony said. “He’s never been in trouble and he’s working.”
The Beverly family released this statement to AL.com following Monday’s court appearance:
“The Beverly family kindly asks for privacy during this difficult time as they grieve, heal, and process their loss. They deeply appreciate your thoughts and prayers and respectfully request that space be given through this period of mourning.”
It was not immediately clear when or if Robinson will make bond.
Beverly’s friends and family continue to mourn his death.
“He was a loving, caring father brother, son, husband,” said Beverly’s father, Antonio Cook. “He was just a good guy.”
Beverly was a graduate of Parker High School, where he played football and baseball.
He returned to his alma mater in 2020 as a part-time assistant football coach.
In addition to coaching, Beverly also worked in the pediatric psychiatric unit at Children’s of Alabama.
“Coach Beverly (Meat) gave his all to the Thundering Herd on the field and in our community,” Parker High Athletics posted on Facebook.
“He was a mentor, husband, father, and friend whose impact will live on through the countless lives he touched.”
Parker head football Coach Frank Warren and Beverly met when they coached together at Carver.
Warren described his friend as a good father, husband, coach, mentor, and a good person.
“When I got my head job, he was one of the first people I called,” Warren said. “He’d give you the shirt off his back.”
“He brought energy every day,” he said. “He brought the best out of these kids.”
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Source link
