High School Basketball Star Receives Probation In Death Of Another Student

A Dallas high school basketball star (left) is dodging jail time after being accused of allegedly beating a basketball player from another school to death.  He was initially charged with murder but is now said to only be receiving 7 years probation. Read more details below. 

Via Dallas News

A former Madison High School basketball star likely won’t serve prison time for allegedly killing a basketball player from another school last year. 

Police say Johnathan Tramaine Turner beat Wilmer-Hutchins High School basketball player Troy Causey, Jr. in March 2014. Though the two seniors went to different high schools, they lived together in southeast Oak Cliff as part of a Dallas ISD athletics recruiting scandal.

Turner, 20, is expected to take a plea deal this morning in exchange for seven years deferred adjudication, a type of probation. If he abides by the conditions of probation, which includes staying away from Causey’s mother, Turner could avoid formal conviction on his record. 

Causey’s mother, Tammy Simpson, said she’s unhappy: “This isn’t justice.” 

“I am upset that [Dallas County District Attorney] Susan Hawk didn’t use this case to show the voters she’s not afraid to try the tougher cases,” she said in a statement. “After all, it was one of the platforms she ran on as a candidate for this office.” 

Turner’s defense attorney, Kobby T. Warren, declined to comment until the deal is finalized. The Dallas County district attorney’s office does not comment on pending cases.