A sentencing hearing in a murder case turned into a time where a family stood before the man who killed their loved one and forgave him.
John Mark Davis, 40, of Columbia pleaded guilty Sept. 18 in the 2017 killing of Marcus Ray Christopher and will serve 27 years in prison without the possibility of parole. He also offered his apologies to Christopher’s family.
Davis pleaded to second-degree murder (non-habitual) and possession of a weapon by a felon (habitual). The plea hearing was held in Lamar County, although it was a Marion County case.
On Feb. 17, 2017, Davis had shot Christopher after having an altercation, according to court records. Christopher’s body was found in a ditch on the side of Wesley Road and U.S. 98 East by a passerby the next day.
Family members of the victim spoke in court Sept. 18, forgiving the defendant, according to a transcript.
“I forgive you, and I hope that you find peace in your decision,” Heather Brown Allen, one of the sisters of the victim, said. “I think I do speak on the behalf of the family. We forgive you. We have to move forward, and we want to leave here today with all issues resolved and a peace of mind.
“Forgiveness is not easy, but I’ve asked and I’ve prayed today that He give me peace, that I may be able to forgive you for what has taken place, and I just wanted to say to you that, so that I can move forward, that I forgive you,” she said.
Allen also thanked the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and District Attorney’s Office for their hard work.
Circuit Court Judge Anthony Mozingo responded, “I’ve been here a long time, and I’ve seen a lot of victims’ families representatives come before the court and express their feelings, and I’ve never seen anybody with the … spiritual life that you have, and you will be well served, and I know the Lord will be pleased with your presentation today.”
Another sister, LaShebra Christopher, said that her brother had introduced Davis to her as family while at her brother’s home.
“This is to anybody. If you are having differences with your family, please, step back and take out time not to react in a harsh, (harmful) way to where someone will be left dead or injured.
“But as we depart today, I really hope that you find the same inner peace within yourself, and the love that you showed him, I still hope that even though this has happened that you still love him because he was that lovable person, and you know deep down inside he was, but I do forgive you, and on behalf of our family, peace be with you.”
Mozingo in turned offered a prayer, something he said he had never done in that context before.
“I believe most everybody in here will understand, if you care to join us. We look to thee today to beseech thee for the blessings of providence and peace for this family of good and decent people, who are hurting today, and we want to recognize and respect their suffering, and as they have eloquently stated, we pray for Mr. Davis. We pray for all those who have participated here and made this possible, this reconciliation,” the judge prayed, according to the transcript. “We pray that you will be pleased with this family’s reaction to the resolution of this matter and that they would be followed from this place being able to move on with their lives not for Mr. (Christopher’s) memory, but from the tragedy that took his life. In Jesus’s name, amen.”
When given the chance, Davis addressed the court, “To the Christopher family, I know words can’t fix this, but if I could go back, we wouldn’t be here. I never meant for any of this to happen, and I’m going to own my part in it, and I deeply and truly apologize. I wish I could give him back to you.”
As a result of the guilty plea and based on prosecutor’s recommendations, Mozingo sentenced Davis to 40 years in the Mississippi Department of Corrections without the possibility of parole with 27 years to serve in custody and 13 years suspended to be served on post-release supervision for second-degree murder. For the weapon possession charge he received 10 years to serve concurrently with count one.
A third charge of taking away a motor vehicle was dismissed.
Count one was initially charged as first-degree murder but it was amended to second degree murder in exchange for the guilty plea.
Davis had three previous felony convictions, including obtaining a prescription by fraud in Lamar County in 2012 and felony child abuse in Madison County, Alabama, in 2014, according to the sentencing transcript.
