(Michigan City, IN) - A near maximum prison sentence has been given for the May shooting death of a 14 year old Michigan City boy.
Marcus Ballinger, Jr. also of Michigan City was given 60 years in prison for murder on Monday, November 9 after convicted by a La Porte Superior Court 1 jury on October 7.
It took the jury about one hour to find the 19 year old Ballinger guilty of fatally shooting Devin Porter in the 300 block of W. 11th St.
Police said Porter died after running inside his nearby home and collapsing on a bedroom floor.
Judge Jamie Oss cited things like Ballinger’s history of committing crimes and the victim being just 14 and a good student who was not armed for the elevated sentence. Other factors cited by the judge included Ballinger wearing a mask when he shot the boy, who was in his yard when struck by the gunfire.
A motive for the shooting remained unclear but the judge shed light on his actions by saying Ballinger agreed with the statement “do unto others before they do unto you.”
“He acted upon this belief when he committed this senseless crime,” Oss said.
Ballinger could have received anywhere from a 45 to 65 year sentence.
