Stoudemire pleads guilty in 2012 Mosley murder

Devante Stoudemire
Devante Stoudemire
photo Devante Stoudemire

Devante Stoudemire, who handed a killer his gun before a deadly robbery three years ago, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder Wednesday.

He will go to prison for 15 years.

Chattanooga police say Stoudemire, 22, rode in a white Buick with Ronald Cosper and Dustin Hayes on July 2, 2012. They say Cosper wanted to rob his "weed man," 39-year-old Steven Mosley, who lived alone and suffered from mental disabilities.

Prosecutors gave this account in court: Cosper asked Hayes for a ride to Mosley's apartment on Hawthorne Street. He also asked Stoudemire for a gun. When Mosley fought back during the robbery, Cosper shot him three times and left him on the porch.

A neighbor said he died minutes later.

On the ride back, Hayes testified last month, he listened to Cosper tell someone on the phone that, "he had to burn [Mosley]."

Hayes pleaded guilty on April 2 to facilitation to commit aggravated robbery. A jury convicted Cosper of first-degree felony murder and attempted especially aggravated robbery on April 13. He faces an automatic sentence of life in prison.

On Wednesday, Stoudemire told Hamilton County Criminal Court Judge Barry Steelman that he wanted to plead guilty. He will not be eligible for parole.

"Are you satisfied with what [attorney Jay] Perry has done so far?" Steelman asked.

"Yes sir," Stoudemire said.

"Do you have any questions about what's going on?"

"No sir."

"Do you understand what you're doing and what this plea means?"

"Yes sir."

Contact staff writer Tyler Jett at tjett@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6476.

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