Former death row inmate gets up to 60 years for killing rapper at 2010 concert
Lancaster, PA – A man once sentenced to death for the 2010 shooting death of an aspiring hip-hop artist outside a Columbia concert venue was resentenced Thursday to 30 to 60 years in state prison after pleading guilty to reduced charges.
Jakeem Lydell Towles, now 36 and formerly of North Lime Street in Lancaster, pleaded guilty to third-degree murder, attempted murder, and a felony firearms offense in the killing of 20-year-old Cornell Anton Stewart, known by his stage name “Young E-Z.” Stewart was fatally shot in the head on May 7, 2010, during a confrontation outside a concert at a renovated fire hall on North Fourth Street.
Towles had previously been convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death in 2012, but the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania ordered a new trial earlier this year after finding his original defense attorney provided ineffective representation. Rather than proceed with another trial, Towles accepted a plea deal to avoid prolonging the legal process for Stewart’s family.
The sentencing brought emotional and sharply divided responses from Stewart’s family members. His father, Cornell Stewart Jr., acknowledged the finality of the court process but said the journey was far from over. Stewart’s brother, Elizar Maldonado, was less forgiving, calling the shooting a coward’s act and stating he had no respect for Towles trying to avoid the death penalty after taking someone else’s life.
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Stewart’s mother, Grissette Sanchez, told the court Towles “stole” her son’s life and described his behavior as narcissistic. She addressed him directly in court, tearfully recounting the pain of losing her son and the risk he posed to others the night of the shooting.
Towles, who was 20 at the time of the killing, opened fire outside the venue after being thrown out for instigating a fight. The shooting, which he claimed responsibility for during the hearing, resulted in Stewart’s death and endangered several others in the crowd.
In addition to the prison sentence, Towles agreed to waive all appeal rights and was ordered to pay nearly $12,000 in restitution. Prosecutors Ande Gonzalez and Mark Fetterman handled the case on behalf of the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office. Columbia Borough Police Officer Bryan Keyser filed the original charges.
Judge Jeffrey Conrad accepted the plea and imposed the sentence, encouraging Towles to use his time in prison to teach others the consequences of violence.
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Key Points
- Jakeem Lydell Towles was resentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison after pleading guilty to third-degree murder
- Towles had previously been sentenced to death in 2012 but was granted a new trial due to ineffective legal counsel
- The victim, 20-year-old rapper Cornell “Young E-Z” Stewart, was shot outside a concert venue in Columbia
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