Following a Thursday morning sentencing hearing with Judge John Atkins in Christian County Circuit Court, all parties made it clear.
More time, but not much more time, is needed in the decision of Jonathan Weston’s fate.
In early November, a plea deal involving Weston — one of three men charged with various offenses around the 2022 shooting death of Alijah Watts — fell apart at the seams.
Weston had entered his guilt to facilitation of first-degree assault and first-degree wanton endangerment — both Class D felonies — and his attorney, Angela Troutman, had asked for sentencing match the state law of a juvenile.
Watts’ family, however, was visibly unaware that a Class D felony meant a lesser sentence. Watts’ mother, Sherita, was provided opportunity to address the court — and she pleaded the murder shouldn’t have happened, and that Weston should be held accountable as an adult.
Two others have already been sentenced in this case. Christian McKeel, received 11 years on charges of facilitation to murder and second-degree robbery. Joshua Cotton has yet to be formally sentenced, but it was recommended he receive 45 years.
According to police, McKeel was charged with driving Cotton and Weston to the Fort Campbell Boulevard Casey’s on the intention of theft against Watts — who was shot in the abdomen during an exchange, and died while trying to get himself to the hospital.
On Thursday, Atkins called the case “perplexing,” and said he didn’t have much choice but accept a floor proposition of dealing with the established Commonwealth’s Attorney office in order to thoroughly go over and view the record.
Atkins carefully parsed his words.
All parties were ordered to appear at 10 AM Monday, November 27.
