SANDERS SENTENCED FOR KILLING UNCLE AND SEPARATE BURGLARY

Dewayne RichardsonBreaking News, Mississippi Delta DA 4th District

Greenville, MS—Angelou Sanders, 21, was convicted of Manslaughter and a separate House Burglary in Washington County following his guilty pleas on Tuesday, April 26, District Attorney Dewayne Richardson announced today.

With his trial for the July 2019 homicide of his uncle, Jermaine Sanders, originally scheduled to proceed in November of 2021, the matter was postponed following a judicial determination that Sanders should be examined by a psychologist to confirm his mental fitness to proceed. After the evaluation, the psychology expert determined that Sanders had full comprehension of the criminal justice process as it related to his case and the ability to communicate clearly with and understand his attorney in their preparations for trial and other proceedings.

On an early Monday afternoon in July of 2019, officers of the Greenville Police Department responded to Belfast Street in Greenville following reports of an unresponsive person. Upon their arrival, the officers entered the residence—walking through a blood stained hallway with clear signs of a struggle—where they discovered the lifeless body of Jermaine Sanders who had suffered multiple stab wounds. The ensuing investigation revealed that, other than an elderly female family member, Angelou Sanders had been the only other person at the residence during the period in which Jermaine was killed. Detectives questioned Sanders and he initially denied being present and put forth an alibi; his alibi did not check out.

After being confronted with his false alibi and the evidence against him, Sanders eventually admitted to killing his uncle. In his version of events, he informed the investigators that he and his uncle had fought moments before he went into the kitchen to get a knife. A subsequent fight started and Sanders stabbed and cut Jermaine several times, resulting in an enormous loss of blood and, ultimately, his death. Sanders was arrested for the homicide and booked into the county jail. He was later released on bail.

In a separate incident in March of 2021, officers were dispatched to a home on Greenway Street in Greenville after being notified by the homeowner that his alarm system alerted him that someone was inside of his residence. When he arrived to his home, the resident observed Sanders in his backyard and chased but did not catch him. Minutes later, he was spotted in the area and captured by officers of the Greenville Police Department within a few blocks of the home after a brief foot pursuit. Sanders had broken multiple windows and forced entry into the home to take several electronic items which were recovered by GPD. Following his second felony arrest, the District Attorney’s Office secured a revocation of his bond and Sanders was ordered to be held without bond until his cases concluded.

Weeks prior to a mid-May trial setting for the homicide, Sanders entered pleas of guilty to both charges. He pled guilty to Manslaughter and Burglary of a Dwelling. He was then sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Margaret Carey-McCray to the District Attorney’s recommendation of 20 years to serve for Manslaughter and 15 years to serve for Burglary of Dwelling. He will serve both sentences at the same time.

Assistant District Attorney Kaylon McCou prosecuted the matters and expressed his gratitude for the efficient work of the Greenville Police Department in both cases. “Unfortunately, [Sanders] decided to use the time he was out on bond to continue committing crime. Thanks to the good work of the Greenville Police Department, our office was able to revoke his bond and keep him detained. Words cannot capture the conflicted pain a family feels when one member is killed, and another stands as the accused, but this defendant’s actions—turning a fist fight into a brutal and fatal slaying—cannot be tolerated. Justice must be served.”

The Office of the District Attorney is thankful for the patience of the victim’s family and the investigative efforts of the Greenville Police Department while our office worked to pursue justice in these cases while ensuring that the rights of the accused were preserved.