HOUSTON — "People have arguments, they have disagreements, but pulling out a gun and shooting someone destroys two families: the victim’s and the gunman’s."
That's what Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg had to say about a recent case that ended with a murder conviction and a plea deal.
Ronald McClelland, 42, was convicted of murder by a jury last week. After the conviction, McClelland agreed to a 45-year prison sentence. He has to serve at least half of the sentence before he's eligible for parole.
How it happened
Jo-Von Darnell Telfor was celebrating his 32nd birthday at a club on Emancipation Avenue on Oct. 18, 2020, when he saw a fight break out. The initial fight ended and everyone walked away, but once they got outside, it fired back up.
Telfor tried to de-escalate the situation and put himself between a friend of McClelland and another man. As Telfor tried to calm the men down, McClelland pulled out a pistol and shot him in his chest. Telfor was taken to an area hospital where he died the next day.
"The victim in this case was trying to be the voice of reason, and it was because he was trying to keep the peace that his voice was silenced forever," Ogg said.
The entire incident was caught on surveillance video.
"It’s just so senseless," Assistant District Attorney Shanice Newton said. "It was Mr. Telfor’s birthday, and they were all celebrating. It should not have ended like this."
Telfor left behind four children. His family members were relieved that McClelland was convicted and sentenced to decades in prison.
"The victim’s mom wanted to get closure, and she felt like she got it," Newton said. "An unarmed man was executed for no reason, and now his four kids will never get to see their father again."
