Eugene Patrick found guilty of 2nd-degree murder by jury, sentenced to life in prison
Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Eugene Javon Patrick, 24, has been found guilty by a jury of second-degree murder and carrying a concealed firearm without a permit. Judge James Colaw has sentenced him to life in prison.
Patrick was arrested for the shooting death of Bobby Bernard Hopkins, Jr., at the Swamp Car Wash on May 22, 2021. Gainesville Police determined that Patrick and Hopkins had been involved in an ongoing conflict and during the altercation, Patrick produced a handgun and unlawfully killed Hopkins.
Patrick entered a plea of guilty to manslaughter, a lesser included offense with a maximum sentence of 15 years in state prison, on April 13. The plea deal stated that the parties had agreed to a sentence of 15 years in state prison, with credit for 682 days time served, and Judge James Colaw was scheduled to sentence Patrick on April 24.
However, Patrick withdrew his plea on April 25 and requested that the case move forward to trial; a media release at the time from the Office of State Attorney Brian Kramer stated that Patrick could serve 25 years to life in prison if convicted.
Assistant State Attorney Ryan Nagel led the prosecution team in the trial today, and the State presented four witnesses. After two hours of deliberation, Patrick was found guilty on both charges and was sentenced to life in prison.
Too bad! Glad they threw the book at this fool, maybe this will be a wake up call for some of these idiots here in town that like to solve their problems with guns.
Yeah like people have been doing since they invented the dam things.
He must have attended the Lauren Poe College of Decision Science and learned to always disregard the worst case outcome.
Genius!!!😄😄😄😄😄😄
Looks like the evidence, and perhaps testimony from people who gave praise to him weren’t quite everything some thought it would be. Definitely not what he hoped it would be.
As Howie Mandel would say, “He should have taken the deal.”
This clown already had two of the fifteen he’d have gotten served, now he got life. Good riddance.
Thank you, Judge Colaw. Wish we could clone you.
Dum Dum you were offered a plea deal and you said no. Good Bye and take your medicine. One thug gone several to go.
Listening to his jailhouse lawyer 😂😂😂
One less thug! Thanks judge!
He fought the law…and the law won. Now…..one down….and….too many to go. Guess when everyone is armed in June some of them might not be able to stand their ground?
Oh, you gonna fit right in. Everybody in here is innocent.
Didn’t you know that?