Woman Shot Over COVID Loan Scam: 2 Convicted

Court documents show that both 25-year-old Dravion Griley-Burnside and 22-year-old Kaveon Phillips have pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and attempted murder regarding an incident that happened back in 2021.

Reports reveal that the two suspects were both involved in fatally shooting 26-year-old Ashley Green at Solaire Apartments. Reports indicate that the incident stemmed from disputes over money obtained through COVID-19 loans.

An unidentified third party was allegedly involved in the COVID loan altercation. Prior to Green’s shooting, the third party was at a gas station when he realized he had forgotten his wallet. That’s when he asked 26-year-old Ashley Green for a ride back to his apartment. This third party says Phillips chased him down in a vehicle. Surveillance footage from the incident showed Phillips driving erratically while appearing to chase another car before opening fire and shooting at the third party and Green’s car about nine times.

The shooting left Green fatally injured.

Initially, Phillips and Griley both faced an incredible 52 criminal counts. The duo was charged with murder, assault with a deadly weapon, conspiracy, discharging a gun into an occupied structure, attempted murder, and more.

In exchange for both suspects’ cooperation and guilty pleas, prosecutors dropped 50 of the 52 charges laid out in the original indictments.

Another reason that the two suspects both received more lenient sentences was because of the remorse they both expressed throughout the trial.

When is it a Good Idea to Plead Guilty?

Pleading guilty can be a strategically smart move, but only under the right circumstances. If you’re currently facing criminal charges and you’re not sure how you should plead, then it’s best to discuss your situation with an attorney before you make any official decisions.

Your lawyer will help you better understand the severity of your charges and the potential defense strategies available to you. They’ll also give you advice on your best plea based on your unique circumstances, the evidence prosecutors have against you, and more.

Pleading guilty might make sense if the other party has a lot of evidence against you and the charges against you are substantial. If you’re willing to plead guilty, then you might have the opportunity to have your charges reduced and your overall sentence minimized. This might be a good strategy in some situations, but in other cases, it might make more sense to plead not guilty. This type of strategy is best in situations where the other party doesn’t have much evidence against you, and you think you can use a legal defense strategy to avoid a conviction.

Are you currently weighing your options?

Here at LV Criminal Defense, our team can help you determine the best course of action to move forward in your situation. Schedule a free case review with our team by submitting your contact details through our online form.