ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, January 21, 1996 TAG: 9601220099
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press RICHMOND
State and federal prosecutors have offered Marvin Jerome Damon a deal that could spare his life, as long as the reputed drug ring hit man tells them about all the people he's killed.
Damon, 30, pleaded guilty in Richmond Circuit Court on Friday to first-degree murder in the Feb. 16 shooting deaths of Darrell Henderson and Emanuel Leon Anderson.
The victims were handcuffed together in the back seat of a car in South Richmond. Each had been shot several times in the head at close range with a
Damon was indicted on capital murder charges in the deaths, but Richmond Assistant Common- wealth's Attorney Larry Hogan amended the charges Friday in exchange for Damon's acceptance of life sentences on the reduced charges.
Authorities think Damon was the enforcer for Robert Williams, an accused drug trafficker facing the death penalty when he goes on trial in federal court next week.
Hogan told Circuit Judge Robert Duling that Damon already has pleaded guilty to capital murder in U.S. District Court in the death of Lewis Pooler, 37, in March 1994.
Damon was subdued throughout the brief proceeding, several times hanging his head. He lowered his head, swallowed and paused when Duling began reciting the rights he would waive by pleading guilty. But he answered ``Yes, sir'' in a quiet voice to the question.
Damon faces the likelihood of life in prison when he is sentenced Feb. 22 on the federal charges, Hogan said.
With Virginia's no-parole policy, ``the commonwealth is satisfied that Mr. Damon will be incarcerated for the rest of his natural life,'' Hogan told Duling.
Authorities think Damon is responsible for at least five other murders. If he does not tell investigators about those and other crimes, prosecutors could reinstate the capital charges and seek the death penalty.
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