Second Defendant Sentenced in the Beating Death of Lawrence Resident

12/09/2008
PRESS RELEASE RELEASE DATE: 12/09/08 CONTACT INFO: Charles Branson Douglas County District Attorney 785-841-0211 cbranson@douglas-county.com Second Defendant Sentenced in the Beating Death of Lawrence Resident Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson announces Shanna R. Friday, 37, was sentenced today in District Court for the second degree murder of Jerry L. DeShazer who was 62 years old at the time of his death. The Honorable Robert W. Fairchild sentenced Friday to 174 months in prison and 36 months post release supervision. During the hearing Judge Fairchild heard Defense's Motion for a New Trial and a Motion for Downward Durational Departure. After listening to arguments by the State and Defense counsel, the Judge denied both motions. The State asked for an aggravated (longer) sentence for Friday, but the Judge assigned the standard sentence. Lawrence Police were called to the victim's mobile home on February 2nd after a woman entered his east Lawrence home looking for him and found him deceased in the bathroom. The victim's normally very neat home was in shambles after Friday and her long time friend Jerod E. Buffalohead, 36, (State v. Buffalohead/2008CR180) repeatedly beat the victim. On September 4, 2008 Buffalohead pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 61 months in the custody of the Kansas Department of Corrections. The victim's two daughters and his younger sister addressed the Court during the sentencing. Ms. Friday will serve her sentence in the custody of the Kansas Department of Corrections. -30-

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Douglas County District Attorney - http://www.dgcoda.com

Media Contact:
Cheryl L. Wright-Assistant to the District Attorney
District Attorney's Office
785-841-0211
cwright@douglas-county.com