Chanting, “Justice for Marcus Glover,” family members of the late Glover marched back and forth between the Akron police station and the Summit County Courthouse on Wednesday morning.
They are upset with how David Hillis, who shot Glover after police say Glover and another man broke into Hillis’ house, remains free on bond after he pleaded guilty last week to voluntary manslaughter. They also want Hillis to be sentenced to prison and not receive probation, the penalty Hillis and his supporters are seeking.
“The possibility of probation for murder — that is a slap in the face,” said Crystal Thomas, Glover’s mother, who wore a hand-made “Justice for Marcus Glover” T-shirt.
About 30 members of Glover’s family marched and carried signs with messages such as “No Justice, No Peace,” “Young Lives Matter” and “Equal Time” for about an hour Wednesday.
Hillis, 22, pleaded guilty Aug. 17 to one count of voluntary manslaughter, a first-degree felony. Prosecutors, under a plea agreement, dismissed a firearm specification. He is free on a 10 percent, $50,000 bond, but faces three to 11 years in prison when he is sentenced Oct. 7 by visiting Judge Richard Reinbold.
Prosecutors have said they will seek prison time for Hillis.
After Hillis’ guilty plea, family members of Glover and Hillis clashed outside of the courtroom, with deputies breaking up the two groups and urging the Glover family to leave the courthouse. Hillis’ family left after the Glover family departed.
Police said Marcus Glover, 25, and Terry Tart, 38, forced their way into Hillis’ Hillbish Avenue house at gunpoint Aug. 7, 2015, and threatened Hillis. When Hillis showed a handgun, they fled. Hillis chased after them, firing several shots, with one hitting Glover in the back of the head, killing him. Glover was about 70 yards away and no longer on Hillis’ property, according to prosecutors.
Tart pleaded guilty Aug. 4 to involuntary manslaughter with a gun specification, a first-degree felony. He will be sentenced by Reinbold Sept. 7.
Glover’s family members question the circumstances of Glover’s shooting. They say they have been told by people who live in Hillis’ neighborhood that Tart and Hillis were invited to Hillis’ home, an altercation happened between Tart and Hillis, they fled, and Hillis shot at them, striking Glover.
Lt. Rick Edwards, the Police Department’s spokesman, however, said this isn’t what detectives investigating the shooting found. He said they found that Tart and Glover knocked on the door, Hillis opened the door and the two men forced their way inside. He said an altercation ensued, Tart and Glover ran and Hillis shot at them.
Edwards pointed out that Tart already pleaded guilty to his part in what happened.
“Glover was with him,” Edwards said. “They were there uninvited and forced their way in.”
Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at 330-996-3705 or swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow on Twitter: @swarsmithabj and on Facebook: www.facebook.com/swarsmith.