COVINGTON, Ky. — Four people involved in the shooting of Amani Smith, a 14-year-old Covington resident who was shot and killed near Latonia Elementary early last year, have pled guilty to manslaughter.
18-year-old Donte Rice, Jr., 17-year-old Ja’Lontai Mason, 16-year-old Averyon Howard and 17-year-old Jordan Bailey all pled guilty to manslaughter in the Kenton County Circuit Courton Wednesday. Rice pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter, and the other three pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter.
All four were originally flagged as juvenile offenders due to their age, but were later indicted as adults in July. Prosecutors are recommending a 10-year sentence for Rice, who turned 18 in September, and eight-year sentences for the others. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 8.
Court documents suggest the four had been waiting to ambush Smith’s older brother, Jase Raven, at the bus stop near where the shooting eventually took place. Bailey and Mason had had an ongoing conflict with Raven after a fight at Holmes High School, and Raven had been informed the four might be seeking retribution.
Court documents suggest Raven had informed Smith the four may out to get him, and when Smith exited the bus near Latonia Elementary on Jan. 23, 2024, the four confronted him along with his girlfriend, whose identity is not given in the court documents.
Court documents state that Smith, Rice and Howard were all carrying guns. A shootout ensued after the four chased Smith and his girlfriend into the church parking lot. Prosecutor Casey Burns confirmed with LINK nky that Smith opened fire first (Burns declined to make additional comments). Smith’s girlfriend was wounded, and Smith himself was transported to UC Medical Center, where he died.
Watch how family mourned and remembered Amani Smith:
Anger, frustration and despair within the community followed Smith’s death, with many arguing that enough wasn’t done to prevent the shooting. Smith’s parents, for instance, said shortly after the shooting that the incident “could have been avoided.”
“This is something we talked about for weeks with the school. We even went to the board of education,” said Smith’s father, Buddy Walton, in January 2024. “We talked to everybody about this. We did what we were supposed to do to try to alleviate this situation.”
Morgan Gilvin, former Holmes High School teacher and varsity women’s soccer coach, sued the Covington Independent Public Schools Board of Education in March 2024, alleging the Board of Education and district leadership failed to institute preventative measures to head off the shooting.
“Plaintiff reported twice about threats and scary behaviors to the leadership team at Holmes High School, yet zero [emphasis hers] threat assessments were conducted,” Gilvin’s complaint alleges. “As a result of zero threat assessments being conducted a child being smacked across the face (which Plaintiff predicted would happen because of lack of leadership and concern) occurred and the second zero threat assessment resulted in a murder.”
Watch: Amani Smith's parents say his death stemmed from a school incident:
Mason was in Gilvin’s class, the complaint states, and had been jumped after “he snitched on J.R. [Jase Raven] for selling pot.”
Gilvin resigned from the district in February 2024. Later suit documents allege that Holmes High School especially was “plagued by violence,” both between teachers and students and between students themselves. The suit is ongoing.
LINK nky has reached out to Rice’s defense attorney for comment.
Mason, Howard and Bailey will undergo a second sentencing hearing upon turning 18, wherein the court can level additional sentencing against them.
LINK nky is a media partner of WCPO.com.
Watch the Covington community gather to remember Amani Smith:
