LC man serving life sentence for first-degree murder of 14-year-old girl

The Louisiana Supreme Court has granted the appeal of a Lake Charles man convicted of first-degree murder in May 2011 in a drive-by shooting that claimed the life of a 14-year-old girl in 2010.

Sean Bernard Newton, 26, was sentenced by Judge Clayton Davis in 2011 in state district court to life in prison for the death of Alexus Rankins who authorities said was walking home from watching a movie at the Prien Lake Mall when she was caught in the crossfire during the shooting.

Rankins later died of her injuries at a local hospital, authorities said.

Mark Kraus, a police sergeant in 2011, and who has since retired from the police department, said at the time that there were about 35 witnesses to the shooting.

In granting Newton’s appeal, the state Supreme Court said the defendant had adequately demonstrated his application for post-conviction relief in arguing alleged violations of Brady v. Maryland. That was a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that established the prosecution must turn over all evidence that might exonerate the defendant (exculpatory evidence) to the defense.

The state Supreme Court has remanded the matter of his case to state district court for further consideration. Various things could happen at this point including the state appealing the decision as well as the defense possibly seeking a new trial.

At trial, a jury convicted four members of the Newton family, including Sean Newton, his brother, Brandon Newton, and his parents, Nina Newton and Rodney Newton. The three were convicted of other offenses including trying to help cover up what happened the day of the drive-by shooting at Dixy Drive and Creole Street.

Todd S. Clemons said at sentencing for the parents that no evidence suggested that Rodney Newton had tried to help his sons evade arrest and prosecution and he asked that Davis consider Nina Newton’s lack of a previous criminal record.

Prosecutor Cynthia Killingsworth said both parents conspired to make up a story about the crime and also lied to police.

Davis sentenced Nina Newton, 51, to 10 years in prison for obstructing justice and being an accessory after the fact to the first-degree murder of Rankins. Prosecutors said Nina Newton helped to destroy evidence and got rid of the gun used in the shooting.

Rodney Bernard Newton, 55, received three years as an accessory after the fact in the death of Rankins.

District Attorney John DeRosier said at the time the convictions and sentences were a reminder of what can happen when people help to cover up a crime or try to help those responsible for a crime evade arrest.

“If we were to allow that kind of conduct to continue in Calcasieu Parish, then cover-ups of homicides would occur on a daily basis,” DeRosier said. “And it would seriously impede the ability of our law enforcement agencies to solve crimes and that’s something we simply cannot permit as much as we understand parental actions relative to their children.”Appeal Granted graphic