Kamaluddeen Raheem Russaw, 22, has been convicted by a Houston County jury on two attempted murder charges for his involvement in a shooting that took place at a graduation party last summer. Circuit Court Judge Larry Anderson scheduled a sentencing hearing for April 11, 2014 after prosecutors asked for a pre-sentence report to be completed. Russaw will face a maximum penalty of 20 to 99 years or life in prison for each charge.
Russaw was one of four individuals that were charged by Dothan Police in connection to a graduation party shooting at a home on East Washington Street on May 23, 2010. The prosecuting attorney, Assistant Houston County District Attorney Banks Smith, said that the incident took place after a man at the party told a passing motorist to slow down. Russaw allegedly had a conversation with the man before a beer can was thrown and shots were fired. After Russaw’s car was struck with gunfire, he left and collected his friends.
According to Smith, the two guilty verdicts announced were in relation to a second shooting that took place 45 minutes later when Russaw returned to the party with three other armed suspects.
Two suspects that were arrested have already been to court while a third suspect, Kamal Tuheed Russaw, remains wanted by police. Carlenius Keon Sandifer received a 60 year prison sentence after a jury convicted him of two less assault charges which included first degree assault and second degree assault. Brandon Layfatte Jones pleaded guilty to two similar assault charges but only received a 15 year sentence due to terms included in his plea agreement.
