A confrontation broke out inside a Hamilton County courthouse this week following a plea deal in the murder case of 17-year-old Edwin “Myzell” Arrington, who was killed on New Year’s Day 2024.
Latrelle Rogers, who had been charged with murder in Arrington’s death, pleaded guilty to a reduced [1] charge of involuntary manslaughter. He was sentenced to 12 to 17 years in prison.
The plea agreement led to emotional reactions from Arrington’s family during and after the hearing. Body camera video shows a man waiting outside the courtroom attempting to strike Rogers as deputies escorted him from the area. A crowd quickly gathered, prompting officers to intervene. Additional video shows deputies moving in to break up the crowd as tensions escalated on the fifth floor of the courthouse.
Shamicka Arrington, the victim’s mother, said she was dissatisfied with the outcome of the case.
“He shot my son 5 times in the back. My son was actually trying to get away from him and instead of just letting my son try and run away from him, he decided to kill him,” she said.
She questioned the decision to reduce the charge, adding, “It was like manslaughter, how? My son was shot 5 times. How?”
According to Shamicka, emotions intensified during the hearing when Rogers looked toward her family.
“He smiled at me. He looked at me, and he smiled. And my reaction was to get up, push the courtroom doors, and walk out,” she said.
After the hearing concluded, deputies escorted Rogers out of the courtroom. Shamicka described what happened next.
“When they brought him out, my relative did attack him,” she said.
Witnesses described the scene as chaotic, with individuals running, shouting and pushing courtroom doors as deputies attempted to restore order.
“It was more than a confrontation. It was way more than a confrontation,” Shamicka said.
The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office confirmed deputies called for backup during the disturbance.
A spokesperson for the sheriff’s office said they were not aware of any confirmed physical interactions but noted that three people were cited for disorderly conduct.
Those cited included Shamicka’s other son, whom she said did nothing wrong.
The plea agreement and sentence have drawn attention from members of the victim’s family who believe the original murder charge should have been pursued at trial.
A spokesperson for the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office addressed the reasoning behind the plea deal in a statement.
“In every criminal trial, there are inherent risks. Our office carefully weighed the evidence in the Latrell Rogers case and determined that the best chance for a just outcome was the plea as presented in Court.
The defendant received the maximum sentence available for the offenses that he pled guilty to, leading to a sentence of 12-17.5 years, which we believe protects the community for as long as possible, given the inherent risks associated with trial.”
Arrington’s death on Jan. 1, 2024, led to the initial murder charge against Rogers.
With the plea agreement now finalized and the sentence imposed, the case has concluded in court, though the courtroom confrontation has added another layer to an already emotional proceeding.
Authorities did not report any serious injuries related to the disturbance inside the courthouse.
Deputies remained on the scene until order was restored.