Man Convicted of Murder of Fellow Drug Dealer
| U.S. Attorney’s Office February 17, 2011 |
NEWPORT NEWS, VA—Samuel Manning, 27, of Hampton, Virginia, was convicted of murder today by a federal jury sitting in Newport News, Virginia. Manning was first indicted in August 2007, for his participation in a drug conspiracy, use of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime causing the death of another, and use of a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime.
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, made the announcement after the jury returned the verdict before the Honorable Jerome B. Friedman.
According to the evidence introduced at trial, from 2001 through 2005, Manning and other conspirators engaged in distributing and possessing with intent to distribute cocaine base commonly known as crack. On March 26, 2005, Manning shot and killed a fellow drug dealer, Donald Smith, over a drug debt, and wounded another person in the process. Manning went to trial with Marlon Pettaway, who was accused of disposing of the firearm following the murder. Pettaway was found not guilty.
The trial began before the Honorable Jerome Friedman on February 7, 2011, in the United States Courthouse in Newport News. Following the presentation of 14 witnesses and 40 exhibits over three days, the jury found the defendant guilty of all three counts of the indictment. Sentencing is set for May 24, 2010, at 11:30 am at the United States Courthouse in Newport News, Virginia. Manning faces a maximum sentence of life on all three convictions.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Newport News Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Eric M. Hurt and Brian J. Samuels, along with Special Assistant United States Attorney Kevin O. Driscoll prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at www.justice.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.