East Texas

By KENNETH DEAN
Staff Writer

HENDERSON — A Rusk County jury sentenced a 21-year-old gang member to 15 years in prison for the 2007 shooting of a Rusk County teenager.

William Brown, Rusk County district attorney investigator, said the jury convicted Antonio Marquis Jackson of manslaughter for the death of 19-year-old Justin Berry and settled on the 15-year sentence after 90 minutes of deliberations. He was also ordered to pay a fine of $10,000.

Jackson was arrested in a Tyler emergency room after police received information he was wanted in Rusk County for murder.

Berry and another man were transported to the hospital after officers responded to a “large disturbance” where shots were fired in the 500 block of Sand Avenue, near the American Legion hall in January 2007.

Berry was pronounced dead at Henderson Memorial Hospital.

Another man injured in the altercation was treated at Henderson Memorial Hospital and released.

“If you want to get technical, it is probably gang-related with two known sides chanting (yelling their affiliations). It began with two guys who agreed to fight at a prearranged place and escalated from there,” he said.

Rusk County District Attorney Michael Jimerson said in a press release, “The citizens of Rusk County have sent a message by their verdict that gang-related violence will not be tolerated in our community.”

Antonio Marquis Jackson
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