ST. LOUIS — One day after his 31st birthday, Devin Smith shuffled into a St. Louis courtroom in handcuffs and an orange jumpsuit.
He’d already admitted he was guilty of illegally carrying a gun, shooting it, and killing a man. He was already a convicted felon before that day in August of 2018. Now he was to find out his sentence, and what the next several years of his life would look like.
His mother Sonja sat alone on a bench on one side of the courtroom, hands folded in prayer. She’d already lost one son, Ronald, who was a victim of the streets in St. Louis five years ago.
She was hoping for compassion.
On the other side of the aisle sat Brad LeFebvre, hands folded around a piece of paper. He’d written a statement on behalf of his brother, Craig--the man Smith shot and killed.
He was hoping for justice.
Brad detailed the loss he suffered since his brother’s death on Aug. 21, 2018. Craig, who worked for St. Louis County and in several anti-violence initiatives, was at the Grand MetroLink Station. He took the train every day not because of financial need, Brad said, but because he wanted to support the community and public transit.
Several times, Brad pointedly reminded Devin of “your decision to recklessly discharge your illegal firearm.” Questioning the idea that Devin was being robbed, Brad said he was concerned about the precedent set by a defense like that.
“If you didn’t have an illegal gun, my brother wouldn’t have been murdered,” said Brad to the courtroom and to Devin. “May God have mercy on your soul.”
Then it was Devin’s turn to speak on his own behalf. Through tears, he reiterated his apology, his fear, and his empathy. He knew what it was like to lose a brother. He asked the judge to have mercy in his sentence.
When it was time for him to deliver his sentence, Judge Ohmer told Devin he forgave him—but couldn’t say the same for the family. Somewhere we have to face consequences,” he told Smith. “I just don’t have much sympathy.”
Before Judge Steven Ohmer could deliver his sentence, Sonja raised her hand to speak. She approached the bench without a script, but simply a plea for lenience for her eldest son.
“Craig would’ve wanted Devin to continue his responsibility,” she said. Craig’s work, she said, could go on with her son and his four children. Yes, her son had a previous felony to his name, but she said Devin only carried a gun out of the fear instilled in him by his brother's death and the need for self-protection instilled in him by daily life in St. Louis.
“Do not leave his sons to be another part of this community,” she said, admonishing the gun violence that’s now taken another one of her children, despite the work of people like Craig. “He must not go in vain.”
The courtroom was silent for only a few moments before the judge sentenced Devin to five years in the department of corrections.
“None of us wish you would’ve had that gun,” he told Smith.
Outside the courthouse, Brad described his feeling as emotional exhaustion.
“My heart goes out to him and his family and his mother, however he took a life and there needs to be accountability for that,” he said. “It’s very very hard to say. I hope that he and his family can move past this, but we’re still without Craig.”
Brad plans to follow the cases of Antreion Betts and Aramind McKinley, the men charged with robbing Smith and with second-degree murder for Craig's death.
He’s not sure if he can begin to forgive Smith yet. Instead, he says, it’s about keeping his brother’s memory alive.
“It’s just one more step in a long journey, and we’ll continue to do what we can and continue to try to make sure people understand who Craig was and what he did to help others.”
Sonja left the courthouse still in tears.
