YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — A man serving a 15-year sentence for his role in the 2014 shooting death of a man on the South Side has asked a judge to be released early from prison.
Bralin Allen, 36, filed the pro se motion, meaning it was filed without a lawyer, in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court before Judge Maureen Sweeney.
Allen is serving a 15-year prison sentence after he pleaded guilty May 25, 2016, to charges of voluntary manslaughter, a first-degree felony; felonious assault, a second-degree felony; and firearm specifications.
He was accused of taking part in the April 1, 2014, murder of Maurise Kerns, 24.
His brother, Breandre Allen, 37, pleaded guilty to the same charges and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Two other people were also charged and sentenced for their roles in Kerns’ death.
Police said a woman lured Kerns to a vacant home at Idora and Utilis avenues on the South Side, where he was shot and killed.
Police said Kerns was killed because he was thought to be involved in the shooting of one of the brothers a couple of weeks before his death.
Breandre Allen was shot in the foot during the exchange of gunfire that left Kerns dead, reports said.
At the time of the murder, police lauded Detective Sgts. Dave Sweeney and his partner, the late Detective Sgt. John Perdue, for the work they did on the case. The pair worked almost 30 hours with no sleep to arrest the Allen brothers and close the case.
Sweeney is still on the force and is now a patrol supervisor.
