KENNETT, Mo. — A Malden teenager will soon join his codefendants in prison after he pleaded guilty Wednesday to assaulting another teen, who authorities say was beaten over a dispute involving money and drugs.
Jalen Dashawn Miller, 18, of Malden “pled guilty to the same thing as the other two,” said Dunklin County Prosecuting Attorney Nicholas Jain.
Miller pleaded guilty to the Class E felony of third-degree assault before Presiding Circuit Judge Robert Mayer.
Miller entered his plea two weeks after Malcomb Townsend McBride, 19, of Malden and Jordan Paul Morgan, 19, of Bernie pleaded guilty to the same offense.
With their pleas, the teens admitted they acted alone or knowing in concert to cause “serious physical injury to Dante Gibson by striking or kicking him.”
Gibson, 17, died of his injures on Oct. 21.
Per the plea agreement, Jain said, Miller was sentenced to four years in the Missouri Department of Corrections.
McBride and Morgan also were sentenced to four years in prison, which is the maximum sentence for a Class E felony.
Jain earlier said he agreed to enter into plea negotiations after Gibson’s autopsy report was received last month.
Both Gibson’s cause and manner of death were ruled as “undetermined,” said Jain, who explained the teen’s death was not ruled as a homicide.
“The autopsy found some contusions and abrasions to (Gibson’s) head that lacked cranial fractures or trauma that would be fatal,” Jain said. “Additionally, the other abrasions lacked internal injuries.”
According to earlier reports, Malden officers responded at about 3:35 a.m. Oct. 21 to a report of an unresponsive male at a residence in the 100 block of West Cleveland Street.
Gibson was found unresponsive, laying on the home’s front porch, Malden Chief Jarrett Bullock wrote in his probable-cause statement. The teen had what were described as abrasions on both sides of his face and head.
Emergency responders began CPR on Gibson, who later died at SoutheastHEALTH in Dexter.
During the investigation into the teen’s death, Bullock said, officers spoke to two witnesses, who reported Gibson had been in an altercation with multiple people, including McBride and Morgan.
McBride, Morgan and Miller also were interviewed.
Arrangements, according to earlier reports, were made to meet Gibson near his home.
After the teens arrived at a Beckwith Street location, Bullock said, a physical altercation began with Gibson.
There reportedly was an ongoing dispute between Gibson, Miller and Morgan over money/drugs.
At one point, Gibson reportedly ran away from Miller and Morgan; however, he later was on the ground.
Miller, according to Bullock, admitted to punching Gibson in the ribs, as well as kicking the teen while he was on the ground.