St. Paul teen sentenced in drug-deal shooting gets stern lecture

A 19-year-old St. Paul man was sentenced Tuesday to nearly six years in prison for fatally shooting another man during a drug deal on the city's East Side.

Antonio R. Seals and his attorney, John Riemer, pleaded for leniency and asked for probation in connection with the January killing of Devonte R. Coppage, 22. Assistant Ramsey County Attorney Jan Barker asked for the highest sentence recommended by state guidelines, 5¾ years, and asked that if the judge sought to give Seals a break, that at the minimum, Seals should be given just shy of five years in prison.

Ramsey County District Judge George Stephenson granted Barker's first recommendation after delivering a speech about violence among young black men. Seals and Coppage are black, as is Stephenson.

"Our community is seeing way too much violence from young black men," said Stephenson. "We have to change. We're still acting like slaves."

Seals was convicted in August of second-degree manslaughter and acquitted of the more serious charge of third-degree murder after a bench trial in July.

Seals shot Coppage on Jan. 3 inside a car parked at a BP gas station at Maryland and White Bear Avenues. He was with his brother and stepbrother at the time.

Coppage was grazed and shot four times, including once in the heart. He was trying to buy marijuana, and drew a gun first, according to evidence at trial.

"Whose clothes are you wearing?" the judge asked him. "Your master's clothes. Whose schedule are you keeping? Your master's schedule.

"What you did exemplifies what is wrong in our community."

Coppage's mother, aunt and grandmother, the attorneys and Seals all addressed the court before Stephenson spoke.

"I feel like there hasn't been any remorse at all," said Coppage's mother, Quiana Williams, as she asked for prison time.

After Coppage's family spoke, Barker noted that only women had spoken up against violence Tuesday.

Seals sobbed loudly when he addressed the court. "I acted out of being scared for my life and my brother's life," he said. "From my heart, I truly am sorry."

Seals asked for probation so he could get his GED, mentor other young men and raise his son. Coppage also has a young child.

Stephenson showed no leniency, but gave Seals a lengthy lecture about using his prison time to improve himself and reflect on his crime.

"Do you think you could do something like that?" Stephenson asked.

"Yes sir," Seals said.

Chao Xiong • 612-270-4708