Last September, Jovan D. Hayes shot seven times at a 13-year-old boy, hitting him once. The boy survived the attack.
Hayes, 27, was convicted in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court of attempted murder, felonious assault, having weapons while under disability and intimidation of a crime victim. The jury found him guilty in a matter of hours after a days-long trial.
Despite attempted intimidation of the young victim and a witness by Hayes, both took the stand to testify against him, officials reported.
The shooting took place on Sept. 1, 2015, according to authorities, just one day after Hayes' release from probation on a separate charge. Common Pleas Judge Michael Astrab cited the defendant’s long criminal history when sentencing him to the maximum 20 years in prison.
“We are pleased that Mr. Hayes received the maximum sentence and is off the street,” said Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Jillian Eckart, who helped represent the State of Ohio in the case. “We are also grateful to the brave victim and the eyewitness who testified despite efforts to intimidate them. Too many people stay silent about crime on the streets. Their courage, this verdict and this sentence send a powerful message.”
