Man gets 15 to 40 years in killing

By Sheena Delazio sdelazio@timesleader.comStaff Writer

WILKES-BARRE – For Rolande Gabriel, life will never be the same because of her brother’s murder in March 2009, she said Monday.

“You destroyed my whole family,” Gabriel said before hearing the sentence of Gene Lorenzo “Lamp” Davis, charged with fatally stabbing her brother, Ronald.

“You took my mother’s only son. Nothing can replace my brother. I cannot forgive you.”

Davis, 25, of Loomis Street, Wilkes-Barre, was sentenced Monday by Luzerne County Judge David Lupas to 15 to 40 years in state prison on a third-degree murder charge he pleaded guilty to in October.

“I’m sorry. I know my actions were wrong,” Davis said, adding that drinking an entire bottle of Hennessy cognac “clouded” his judgment, causing him to make a mistake. “I don’t expect you to forgive me.”

Prosecutors say Davis slashed the throat of Gabriel, 20, of Brooklyn, N.Y., while inside Diablo’s nightclub off River Street in Plains Township.

Gabriel’s death was the end result of an argument over a payment of an insurance deductible for a damaged vehicle, prosecutors said.

Court papers say a woman hosted a party a few days before the stabbing and loaned her vehicle to Gabriel. Davis was also using the vehicle at the time, police said.

The woman told police Gabriel was involved in a crash that resulted in $500 in damage. She told police Davis became upset when Gabriel did not pay for the damage.

Another woman said that on the night of the stabbing she was at Diablo’s when Davis allegedly told her that he punched someone in the face and later asked for a ride, telling her that he had to “get out of here.”

A witness said he overheard Gabriel say he wanted to fight Davis, and he then saw Davis approach Gabriel from behind and cut his throat.

Witnesses said Davis allegedly told them he had to “blow” a man, meaning he had to slice or stab another person.

After the fight ended, Gabriel ran from the club holding his neck and bleeding, witnesses told police. They said he got into a vehicle and was taken to the hospital, where he died just before 4:30 a.m.

Gabriel’s mother, Marie Reme, also spoke Monday, sobbing loudly and repeatedly asking why her son was taken from her.

“You messed up everyone’s lives,” Reme said.

Several of Davis’ family members and friends spoke Monday, all saying Davis is a good father to his five young boys, who are ages 5 and younger, and his actions in March 2009 were out of character.

“His children need their father in their life,” said Stacie Shannon, Davis’ sister. “He’s very sorry. He says it all the time.”

Davis’ attorney, Thomas Marsilio, said his client grew up without a father himself because he was incarcerated during most of Davis’ life.

Marsilio added Davis had no prior criminal record and he believes Davis is truly sorry for what he did.

Assistant District Attorney Chester Dudick said Gabriel’s death was a “senseless act of violence” causing one life to be taken and two families to be destroyed.

Lupas said no matter what sentence he imposed on Davis, it could not bring back Gabriel. The judge said that if one thing could come from what happened, he wished all young people could see what distress one man’s actions caused in a courtroom Monday.

“What transpired between two people affected a whole lot more,” Lupas said. “This was more serious than a simple mistake.”

Sheena Delazio, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 829-7235.