CASPER — A 15-year-old Casper boy who shot into two homes on different nights last August was sentenced Friday to eight to 10 years in prison.
Natrona County District Court Judge Daniel Forgey also recommended Marquis Hayman be considered for the state’s Youthful Offender Treatment Program boot camp for young offenders.
The teen who according to one of his arrest affidavits told friends “I hope I killed one” appeared in court in a red jumpsuit and shackles. He read a statement of contrition and repentance, telling the judge that for “all of my life, I was lost.”
The sentence also followed statements by four other supporters ofHayman, including his stepfather and a Florida mentor of professional athletes who told the judge that he also was a “Marquis Hayman” before turning his life around.
Natrona County Assistant District Attorney Jeff Meyer argued that Hayman has an extensive juvenile record.
‘He Didn’t Care’
He argued that during the Aug. 9 and Aug. 12 incidents where Haymanshowed no concern for the lives of the people inside when he shot a pistol into a trailer home in the 1200 block of North Center Street, and then three nights later into a home in the 1100 block of North Durbin Street.
He did the shootings to intimidate acquaintances, Meyer said.
“He didn’t care about anyone else who was living there,” Meyer said. “Now he’s facing consequences.”
Meyer recommended that the judge impose concurrent eight- to 10-year sentences for the two counts of aggravated assault and battery stemming from Hayman’s guilty pleas in an agreement Jan. 29.
He also recommended the judge sentence him to the boot camp program where after completion “he can seek a sentence reduction.”
Defense attorney Dylan Rosalez told the court that “as a community” in Casper there needs to be a solution to the repeated acts of teenage weapons and violence.
He pointed out that Hayman was 15 years old and his “brain is not fully developed and that his client had showed a lack of maturity.
Rosalez agreed his client’s actions could have had much more serious results.
A ‘Wake-Up Call’
“Despite that, Mr. Hayman can be rehabilitated,” Rosalez said.
He said dealing with the adult justice system has been a “wake-up call and a maturing event” for Hayman.
He told the court that Hayman wants to get a job and go to college, and is showing maturity that he had not witnessed as his attorney in other cases in the past.
Rosalez said Hayman now understands that he needs to cut ties with some of his family members to become productive and lead a better life.
He asked the judge to consider a suspended sentence of four to six years to be served concurrently coupled with an intensive supervision probation program by the Wyoming Department of Corrections.
Rosalez also presented four people who spoke on Hayman’s behalf and referred to letters that were addressed to the court in support of his client.
Hayman’s stepfather, who said he came back to Casper from Florida to try and help Hayman after his arrest, told the court that Hayman’s environment living with his brothers and other members of his family affected his outlook and behavior.
“I know how bad this could have been,” Perry Gilbert said.
He said Hayman needs to be “separated from his environment,” and if he were placed on probation, he could live with him.
“I’ve secured employment for him,” he said. “Marquis wants to better his life.”
A Mentor’s Request
Rico Sharp, who described himself as a mentor for professional athletes based in Florida, said he also has been working with Hayman in past months and has seen positive changes in his outlook and goals.
Sharp told the judge that as a teen, he also was a “Marquis Hayman” who spent time in prison and in his last case pleaded with the judge for one more opportunity to turn his life around. He then did, using the opportunity the judge provided as his motivation.
He asked that the judge consider another opportunity for Hayman.
“I believe Mr. Hayman has great potential,” Sharp said, adding he plans to continue to work with Hayman and “mentor him.”
One of the letters on Hayman’s behalf came from Carrie Eveland, a mental health specialist at the Regional Juvenile Detention Center, who said she has gotten to know the teen and he has expressed a desire to “break away from the patterns that have plagued his family for generations.”
She asked the judge that Hayman be given an opportunity to overcome his past environment and turn his life around.
“He possesses strong leadership abilities, and his story could become a testimony to influence more of our youth to make positive changes in their lives as well,” Eveland wrote. “He has expressed to me that he had, until recently, accepted his lifestyle as his fate.
“Now, however, I’ve witnessed a boy without dreams become one who is optimistic about his future.”
An Apology
In a statement read to the court, Hayman apologized for his actions.
“I regret what I did and the way I affected our community,” he said.
Hayman said he now understands the environment he grew up in that he considered “normal” was not normal.
Hayman told the court that he knows he has to work through past trauma and mental health issues and that “he is the author of my story.”
Hayman told the judge that if he considered a program of intensive supervised probation that he would go to school, get a job and become a “responsible” person.
Judge Forgey said his findings in the case were that probation was not appropriate, and Hayman has been provided as a juvenile a “long list of opportunities to address issues.”
The judge called Hayman’s actions related to the charges in the two cases “violent, egregious, and unacceptable.”
In pronouncing sentence, Forgey said Hayman will have “to earn” any opportunities, and that the sentence he imposed should be an “incentive to him.”
“On the other hand, if he doesn’t take advantage of the (opportunities) there needs to be a substantial penalty,” the judge said.
Under the state’s boot camp program, if Hayman completes it successfully, he would be given the opportunity for a sentence reduction.
Hayman was given credit for 260 days served on one of the cases and 232 days in the other.
Dale Killingbeck can be reached at dale@cowboystatedaily.com.
