The 105-year prison sentence recently handed down by Kane County Judge D.J. Tegeler to Dimitri Green-Hosey for a 2014 Aurora murder ranks as one of the lengthiest in recent years in Kane County.
Although such sentences are determined within the framework of state guidelines, all judges have discretion to consider aggravating and mitigating factors in arriving at the actual number of years a convicted defendant will spend behind bars. One factor regularly referenced is the need for a sentence to deter others from committing similar crimes.
Speaking about the Green-Hosey case, Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon called the shooting of 20-year-old Arin Williams an “execution-style murder” over an ounce of marijuana. Yet, while violence tied to guns, gangs and drugs remains a constant concern, McMahon said he believes a stiff prison sentence such as the one Green-Hosey received does send a message to the community and to those involved in potentially dangerous activities.
“I think the word does get out. It reflects the seriousness … of the crime,” he said.
A jury in August needed about six hours to convict Green-Hosey of gunning down Williams inside a Lake Street restaurant bathroom during a drug deal in January 2014. Jurors heard from Green-Hosey’s brother, Jaquan, who said he snatched a bag of marijuana from Williams and took off running. He turned to see Williams on the ground after Dimitri Green-Hosey shot him in the head. Dimitri claimed he did so in self-defense, but jurors didn’t buy his version of what happened. Jaquan Green-Hosey pleaded guilty to murder and received 25 years in prison as part of an agreement with prosecutors which involved him testifying against his brother.
McMahon said such cases should resonate not only for the punishment involved but also because of how three young lives were forever altered. He acknowledged there are those who run with gangs and are involved with drugs despite the possible repercussions.
“I think the case just highlights the dangers of drugs in our community. The consequences are high. If not deadly, they are life-changing,” McMahon said.
Dimitri Green-Hosey, 21, is held in Stateville Correctional Center awaiting assignment to the facility where he will serve his prison term. Two weeks after Tegeler’s decision, no motions seeking a reconsideration or reduction of the sentence have been filed on Green-Hosey’s behalf. Jaquan Green-Hosey, 22, is serving his sentence at the Menard Correctional Center with parole not available to him until 2039, according to the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Dan Campana is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.