In Minneapolis, Letterance Grady, the father of a teenager responsible for the fatal shooting of 12-year-old London Bean, expressed his remorse in court as he received his sentence on Monday for his involvement in the distressing incident that occurred over two years ago.
Grady faced accusations of urging his son Jeremiah to seek revenge following a purported altercation between Jeremiah’s younger sibling and London Bean in September 2021. Authorities reported that Letterance transported Jeremiah to the location of the tragic event in the Sumner-Glenwood neighborhood, where Jeremiah then shot Bean. Upon arrival, police discovered Bean critically injured and rushed him to a medical facility, where he succumbed to his injuries shortly after.
Initially, Letterance denied his participation in the event but was later seen on surveillance footage driving Jeremiah to the scene. Furthermore, Jeremiah confessed that his father had incited him to retaliate and instructed him to discharge firearms from the vehicle.
Having pleaded guilty, Letterance was handed down a sentence on Monday, which, after considering the time already served, amounted to over four years in prison followed by a period of supervised release.
During the court session, Letterance conveyed his deep regret for his actions, stating, “There will forever be a dark cloud over me for my actions after the fact. To the family of London Bean, from the bottom of my heart, I’m sorry. I’m sorry you’ll never be able to hug and hold that baby. I’m sorry because he had so much to offer the world and won’t get the chance to get the blessing God intended him to be.”
London Bean’s family previously expressed their disappointment with the plea agreement reached for Letterance, feeling that it came unexpectedly and that it did not serve justice for London. “I was crying to them and I told them (Hennepin County Attorney’s Office) that it was not fair,” London’s mother, Crystal Hill, recounted her plea for a fair trial.
Responding to the family’s concerns, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty explained that further investigation led to the conclusion that Jeremiah Grady had acted independently during the shooting. For his direct role in the tragic event, Jeremiah Grady received a 30-year sentence.
In a final statement, Letterace refuted claims that he had instigated his son to commit the shooting, describing the act against London as “unjustified and cowardly” and asserting that he had never condoned such violence, especially towards a child.