Man sentenced to 15 years in prison in shooting death of Hartford basketball standout
A man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison in the shooting death of a Hartford native who became a standout college basketball player.
A man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison on a manslaughter charge in the killing of a Hartford native who became a star basketball player at Albertus Magnus College.
Jason Stone, 35, of Hartford pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree manslaughter with a firearm during a hearing in the Hartford Judicial District courthouse on Wednesday, court records show. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison, followed by 15 years of special parole, in the Sept. 19, 2020, killing of 24-year-old Jaqhawn Walters.
Stone had initially been charged with murder in Walters’ death.
Walters was a star basketball player at University High School of Science and Engineering in Hartford before going to Albertus Magnus College and earning all-conference honors three times. Walters finished his college career in 2018 before playing professionally for a club in Argentina.
According to the police report of the killing, Walters and Stone were seen shortly after noon on video surveillance talking in the parking lot of the Jam-Roc restaurant at 3395 Main St. in Hartford. As Stone walked toward the restaurant’s door, Walters ran after him, grabbed him and pushed him against the door. A woman in the parking lot pulled Walters off Stone and, as Walters backed away, Stone pulled a gun from his waistband and shot him, the police report indicates.
Once Walters was on the ground, police wrote in the report, it appeared that Stone shot him again.
In an interview with detectives, Stone said the confrontation started after he purchased marijuana from Walters outside the restaurant. After making a comment about not being given a bag for the drugs, Stone said Walters attacked him, grabbing him with both hands around the throat, the police report said.
Stone said he feared that as they struggled, Walters would see his gun and shoot him with it. Once he broke free, Stone said he shot Walters and ran through the restaurant to his car, according to the police report.
Detectives who viewed the surveillance footage wrote in the police report that it appeared Stone could have escaped before shooting Walters.
Hartford police said Walters was driven by friends to St. Francis Hospital, where he died.
Following the shooting, Stone called police and told the dispatcher he had just shot someone before driving to the police station, where he was arrested.