• Allen Ray Gowans, 19, sent to prison Monday after he pleads to killing Clayvon Ternail Collins with pistol in October 2005.

By BOB HIGH
Staff Writer

Superior Court Judge Gregory Weeks was angered by what he heard Monday during the plea-bargain presentation of a Chadbourn teenager’s act in 2005 that took the life of a Whiteville man.

“That’s an interesting report,” Weeks said as Assistant District Attorney Lee Bollinger completed his summation of what led Allen Ray Gowans, 19, to kill Clayvon Ternail Collins, 23, on an October night in 2005.

“I read recently that nine out of 10 victims of homicide are killed by people of color. It sounds to me like you’re used to hanging out with a weapon. It appears the victim was also used to having a weapon.
“You want to be an MTV gangster, just play the role like you see on TV. That’s the height of stupidity,” Weeks said in a stern voice as he accepted the arrangement that sent Gowans to prison for 46 to 65 months.

Declines statement

“It really sounds like the man you killed lost his life over some marijuana,” the judge stated in an angry voice as he talked to the teen with the nickname of “Rambo.”

“You’ll be spending the next five years in prison over something that was nothing but stupidity. When you combine a 19-year-old with a sixth-grade education with a weapon and drugs, somebody is going to get messed up,” Weeks added.

Gowans declined to make a statement when offered the opportunity by Weeks, and there were no members of Collins’ family in the courtroom, although his mother had been notified of Gowans’ appearance.

Bollinger’s capsule presentation of what happened pointed out “there were risks on both sides as to what a jury would believe,” and that’s the reason the state accepted a voluntary manslaughter decision.

Drug buy rebuffed

Records show Gowans, a slim young man wearing an over-sized white t-shirt in the courtroom, faced a maximum of 229 months in prison.

Evidence presented showed Gowans walked to the driver’s side of Collins’ vehicle and asked to buy some marijuana. Collins refused. Gowans came back and asked a second time, but Collins wouldn’t deal with him.

A witness told investigators that Gowans approached Collins’ car a third time – this time from behind. Gowans walked to the driver’s door, and it opened – done by Gowans or Collins.

“There were no harsh words the first two times, but this time it was different,” Bollinger told the judge.

Open knife found

Some cursing was heard, and a scuffle began. Collins didn’t have a firearm, although he was known to have one at various times.

Bollinger said two shots were heard, and two spent .40-caliber pistol casings were found at the scene. An open knife was also found on the ground near Collins’ body, a knife exactly like one Collins was known to have owned.

Gowans was not injured in the scuffle and he was seen running to a car about 50 feet from where Collins fell.

“It’s not known who was the aggressor the third time. Gowans went to the victim’s car, and that’s one of the major reasons we’re taking this plea,” Bollinger told the judge.

Probation revoked

It was noted that although Gowans pleaded guilty, he didn’t admit guilt.

Gowans requested that a term of probation he was serving be revoked, and the suspended prison time – 13 to 16 months – be served concurrently with his manslaughter term. This was granted.

Gowans was placed on probation in June 2006 for common-law robbery in a May 2005 case. Because he was convicted in the robbery case after he killed Collins, his conviction could not be used to add time for the shooting death.

Weeks was asked to recommend work release for Gowans during his prison time.

“There’s no reason to put a person with a sixth-grade education on work release. He needs to stay inside the prison and get his high-school diploma,” Weeks stated.