Antonio Fowlkes, who was convicted eight days ago in the death of a bystander in an East Baltimore shootout, was sentenced yesterday to 12 years in prison for involuntary manslaughter and violation of probation.
Carleton Edward Valentine, an auto mechanic and father of four, was sitting in front of his home at 821 N. Bradford St. on the night of July 26 when Fowlkes became involved in a gunbattle in the street. Valentine was shot in the back as he tried to flee into the house. He died 50 minutes later at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
The state's attorney's office said Fowlkes, 21, of the 800 block of N. Patterson Park Ave. participated in the shootout but did not fire the bullet that killed Valentine. He was convicted by a jury May 1. Details on others involved in the case were not available.
The shooting in July was not the first time Fowlkes had been in a shooting that resulted in prison time. He shot and wounded a man on Dec. 2, 1996, but the victim did not show up to testify. Under a plea bargain, Fowlkes was convicted of assault and sentenced to 18 months in prison.
For his role in Valentine's death, Fowlkes received a seven-year sentence from Circuit Judge William D. Quarles.
Circuit Judge Clifton J. Gordy imposed an additional five-year sentence for violation of probation.