By BOB HIGH

Inconsistencies in statements made by a 54-year-old woman who was the girlfriend of the defendant and sister of the victim in a 2005 shooting death led to a plea arrangement Thursday afternoon in the first-degree murder trial of Sylvester Shed “Smokey” Graham.

The 45-year-old Graham, a sometime resident of Riegelwood who spent most of his time living with Marilyn Solomon along Tom Sessions Road northeast of Whiteville, pleaded to voluntary manslaughter in the killing of Ronald Devon Solomon on April 4, 2005.

Superior Court Judge Gary Locklear sentenced Graham to a minimum of 95 months and a maximum of 123 months to be spent in the state’s prison system. Graham, held since his arrest the day after the shooting, has a credit of 14 months toward his prison term.

“You’re a lucky man. Nobody knows what the jury would have done. You made the right decision,” Locklear told the quiet Graham at sentencing.

“A not guilty verdict was possible, but you shoot a man four times and there’s probably more to it than what you say happened. A crowbar and a gun are not a match, if Mr. Solomon had a crowbar.

“There’s no evidence you got hit by the crowbar. Now, Mr. Solomon was no prince, but you had no right to jump the gun to shoot the gun,” the judge continued.

“Your family can visit you in prison, but the only thing Mr. Solomon’s family can do is to go to a graveyard. Do you have anything you want to say to the victim’s family?” Locklear asked.

After whispering to his attorney, Graham said, “No, sir,” very quietly.

Explains position

Assistant District Attorney Lee Bollinger explained his plea offer to the court. “The inconsistent testimony of Marilyn Solomon as to where she was, who pushed the defendant’s arm while he was shooting, and the two trips to Mike’s Place turning into one led me to accept the plea.

“The Solomon family understands the differences, and the risk based on the first witness’ (Marilyn Solomon) testimony merits acceptance of the plea,” Bollinger added.

Locklear told Bollinger and defense attorney Geoff Hansford both of them made the right decision based on the evidence shown by Marilyn Solomon and Lisa Edwards – the two eyewitnesses to the shooting – and former detective Rocky Coffman, who obtained a detailed statement from Marilyn Solomon the night of the killing.

Coffman read into the record her statement and there were glaring differences with what Marilyn Solomon said on the stand Wednesday and Thursday.

She denied in court the entire evening’s argument was set up by her refusal to have sex with Graham, and he went to Mike Shipman’s joint along Millie-Christine Road in the Welches Creek community to see another woman.

Her statement, given within two hours of the shooting, noted that Graham became angry when she refused his request and said he knew another woman who would have sex with him.

One trip, not two

Marilyn’s statement also noted two separate trips to Mike’s Place that night, but her testimony showed only one trip by she and Graham – Marilyn walking part of the way and catching a ride after Graham refused to take her with him.

Marilyn, who admitted that she was a jealous woman and still loved Graham despite the fact he had killed her brother, also testified she was the woman who rushed to Graham while he was firing his .22-caliber pistol at Ronald Solomon and pushed Graham’s arm, exactly as she told investigators 14 months ago.

Lisa Edwards, the other woman involved in the argument that night, testified Thursday that she was the one who ran to where Graham was shooting and pushed on his arm, and said Marilyn was in a yard across the road and not near her boyfriend.

Marilyn noted Thursday that she drank six beers in about three hours, and that Graham was also drinking liquor that “affects him quicker than beer.” She said Graham’s truck engine and headlights were off. Edwards, however, testified that Graham’s engine was running and his headlights were on.

Marilyn also said Edwards was using loud and foul language at Mike’s Place and that’s why the owner asked them to leave. She also said she “tends to black out after drinking heavy.”

Edwards told the court that she and Ronald Solomon were going together up until 45 to 60 days before the shooting and Solomon was trying to talk to her outside Shipman’s joint about their broken relationship. He bought her a beer, but she refused it and he got mad and threw it into a small fire in a barrel outside Mike’s Place.

Edwards said Graham wanted to buy her “a shot,” but she didn’t recall any mention of sex in his conversation. She said Graham offered her a ride after the group had been told to leave, and Ronald Solomon told Edwards he was going where she was going.

Solomon spoke to Graham about Marilyn, but made no threats, Edwards noted. She admitted that she had been convicted of Medicaid fraud in 1996, and was on probation at the time of the shooting after a drug paraphernalia conviction.

“It was clear he (Solomon) wanted to get together again, but I didn’t,” Edwards stated.

It was noted by the defense that Ronald Solomon was convicted in 1988 of second-degree murder in the multiple stabbing death of Karen Wilson Holland of Whiteville on Jan. 26, 1988 at her West Virgil Street home. He was sent to prison for 25 years, but released under the old sentencing guidelines after less than 10 years.