Marquette Tibbs pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed Thursday for the shooting death of Andre Jackson on Nov. 4, 2012. He was scheduled to begin trial on Monday.
Tibbs’ guilty plea comes two weeks after jurors acquitted his former co-defendant, Lamonte Perry, of first-degree premeditated murder, but deadlocked over the lesser-included charge of second-degree murder. Perry was, however, convicted of obstruction of justice in connection with Jackson’s death.
Tibbs was originally charged with first-degree premeditated murder while armed, possession of a firearm during crime of violence, and carrying a pistol.
In exchange for his plea Tuesday, prosecutor dropped his other charges.
Jackson, 22, was found behind an apartment building in the 300 block of Ridge Road Southeast. He died from multiple gunshot wounds.
Witnesses told police that on the night of the shooting, Tibbs and Byron Akeem Dunn were seen running towards an alley, one aiming a firearm at Jackson, according to charging documents. Charges against Dunn were later dropped.
At trial, prosecutors argued that Tibbs used Jackson’s friendship with Perry to lure Jackson into the alley where he was shot.
Police believed that Tibbs wanted to kill Jackson because Jackson shot and destroyed property at Tibbs’ grandmother’s house in February 2010.
One witness said the two men’s families had an ongoing feud with Jackson’s family.
Tibbs is scheduled for sentencing on Nov. 6 before Judge Rhonda Winston.
A copy of the plea documents are below:
