Austell, GA – In a shocking case of violence that left a community grieving, three men have been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole following their conviction in a drive-by shooting that resulted in the death of 37-year-old Brian Sclafford-Clemons.
Jermari Ferron, 23, Diomante Plummer, 27, and Claubert Mimy, 24, were found guilty on multiple counts including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, cruelty to children in the second degree, and reckless conduct. The verdict came after a lengthy four-week trial in Cobb County Superior Court.
Presiding Judge Julie Adams Jacobs delivered the harsh sentence, granting each defendant an additional 40 years on top of their life sentences. This ruling reflects the severity of their actions and the impact on the victims’ family and community.
According to the Cobb County District Attorney’s office, the harrowing events unfolded on Saturday, March 27, 2021. Sclafford-Clemons had left his Austell home with his eight-year-old daughter to purchase snacks at a nearby RaceTrac convenience store.
As they were positioned in the left turn lane on Austell Road, two vehicles—a black BMW and a white Lexus—pulled alongside their Nissan Altima and opened fire, discharging dozens of rounds into the car. Sclafford-Clemons was shot seven times and succumbed to his injuries, while his daughter miraculously emerged unscathed from the attack.
Witnesses described the chilling scene, noting how the victim’s vehicle was perforated with bullets, likening it to “Swiss cheese.” One fortunate bullet that could have caused tragic consequences ended up lodged in the back passenger door frame, just inches away from where the little girl sat.
The crime scene yielded a total of 26 9mm shell casings and one 300-blackout cartridge. With the investigation underway, Cobb County Police obtained surveillance footage from the RaceTrac and nearby establishments, capturing the suspects’ vehicles as they circled the neighborhood for over three hours prior to the shooting.
Despite extensive inquiries into Sclafford-Clemons’ life, no immediate leads were found. However, a breakthrough came when a detective discovered an accident report involving a black BMW M440i linked to Ferron in Atlanta. This pivotal finding allowed law enforcement to piece together the identities of the other two suspects, Plummer and Mimy.
On September 24, 2021, Cobb County Police, alongside U.S. Marshals, executed coordinated arrests in Florida and Georgia. Ferron was apprehended in Coral Springs, Plummer in Miami-Dade, and Mimy in Powder Springs, Georgia.
During the arrests, authorities were able to locate both vehicles involved in the shooting. A significant piece of evidence emerged when detectives found a spent 300-blackout cartridge case in the grill panel of the white Lexus IS250, which had been linked to the crime. Forensic analysis confirmed that both cartridge cases from the scene of the murder and the Lexus had been fired from the same firearm.
The jury was presented with over 1500 pieces of evidence, ultimately leading them to render a guilty verdict against Ferron, Plummer, and Mimy for the brutal murder of Sclafford-Clemons and the near-fatal attack on his daughter.
District Attorney Sonya F. Allen remarked on the importance of this verdict, stating, “This guilty verdict delivers long-overdue justice for a family and a community shaken by this horrific act of violence. The defendants opened fire from both sides of the victim’s car, nearly striking his eight-year-old daughter. Their actions put every innocent life in our community at risk.”
Allen commended the trial team and the diligent work of Cobb Police, emphasizing the commitment to protect the safety of the community through the pursuit of justice.
Senior Assistant District Attorney Stephanie Green, who led the prosecution, reflected on the case’s emotional weight: “These men almost got away with murder. Fortunately for them, a relentless detective was assigned to the case, determined to bring justice to this little girl and her family. We may never know why this happened, but I’m forever grateful that it’ll never happen again thanks to the tenacious detective and attentive jury.”
image source from：cobbcountycourier
