Woman convicted in shooting death of veteran and other court cases against Fayette Co.

Trials stemming from several deadly incidents in and around central Kentucky came to a close in May as the defendants were sentenced to prison.

These developments include a woman sentenced for her involvement in the death of a decorated Afghanistan war veteran, as well as a man sentenced to prison after being convicted of beating a man to death in a parking lot of Lexington.

Here are updates on court cases previously covered by the Herald-Leader.

“Made out of fear.” Woman sentenced for death of military veteran mother

A Lexington woman accused of murdering a veteran has been sentenced to 17 years in prison.

Fayette Circuit Judge Thomas Travis handed down the sentence to Courtney Young, 33, on May 23.

In April, Young pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter, convicted felon in possession of a firearm, tampering with physical evidence and second-degree persistent felony offender, according to court documents.

Young initially faced a murder charge, but that was reduced as part of his deal, according to court records.

She was charged with the murder of Nicole Morton, 33, an Afghanistan war veteran and mother, on April 4, 2023.

At her sentencing, Young's attorney said the shooting was not intentional or malicious, but simply out of fear, because Morton allegedly entered her home while Young was asleep and without her glasses.

“Just prior to this incident, (Young) had a close friend who was robbed and shot, and this was the situation that occurred to her as she was going about her business prior to this incident,” said the Young's attorney, Sarah Langer. “When (Morton) came into the house while she was sleeping, she was lying there without her glasses. She didn't recognize her and was afraid.

During her comments in court, Young said she understood she couldn't relieve the pain, but she apologized for her actions.

“I really wish this situation didn’t happen,” Young said. “This was done purely out of fear of myself.”

Ohio man gets prison time for beating to death

An Ohio man convicted of murder for beating a man to death in a Lexington parking lot showed up in court smiling before his sentence was imposed earlier this month.

Fayette Circuit Judge Lucy VanMeter sentenced Benjamin Call, 41, to 20 years in prison on May 16.

Call was tried in March and a jury convicted him of murder after less than two hours of deliberations.

Call was charged with murder on October 26, 2021, after police found John “Ty” Abner unconscious and covered in blood in the Victorian Square parking lot.

In brief comments to the court, Call apologized to his family and the Abner family.

“It was an accident and I’m sorry,” he said.

Surveillance footage from the parking lot showed Call attacking Abner by violently beating him, punching him, placing him in a chokehold, “football kicking” him in the body, and stomping on his face and foot. head.

The footage also shows officers from the Lexington Police Department arriving on the scene to stop the assault, with Call covered in blood.

Man involved in deadly hit-and-run sentenced to prison

A man who previously denied driving a car that killed a pedestrian in a hit-and-run was sentenced to prison May 17, according to court documents.

Fayette Circuit Judge Kimberlly Bunnell sentenced Marcus Marshall, 31, to two years and one day in prison. He must pay $8,185 in restitution, according to court documents.

In April, Marshall pleaded guilty to an initial charge of leaving the scene of an accident/failure to render aid/assisting death or serious physical injury in a crash that claimed the life of Joshua Johnson in August 2023, according to court records.

The crash happened on the inner loop of New Circle Road near Alumni Drive, police previously said. Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene from multiple blunt force injuries, according to the Fayette County Coroner's Office.

Marshall was not present when authorities arrived on scene. He was arrested later that morning after police received a tip from the driver's friend, according to court records.

Marshall initially told police he had gone to dinner with friends and then returned home, although police found his Audi A6 with extensive damage and blood on the car.