How much time did Facebook Live confession add to killer’s sentence?

Rafeal Jackson

Rafeal Jackson

Syracuse, NY -- Rafael Jackson probably didn’t think of getting caught when he boasted about a murder on Facebook Live in January 2018.

But now, he’ll have an extra three years to think about it in prison.

Jackson risked an even worse fate after his plea deal collapsed over the public confession. Jackson and another man had been indicted for murder after inexplicably gunning down Jay Ford Jr. as he returned home from work on Christmas Eve 2017.

On the eve of trial, Jackson pleaded guilty to manslaughter, expecting to get a 22-year prison sentence. His co-defendant, Deyontay Smith, went to trial as the accused gunman and was convicted of murder, receiving a 25-year prison sentence.

But evidence showed it was Jackson’s car and Jackson’s gun used in the murder. Jackson had even used it during a botched robbery months before in which the victim ended up getting shot.

So Jackson was promised a 22-year sentence that, in essence, covered both crimes. That was until County Court Judge Stephen Dougherty learned of Jackson’s Facebook confession.

“I did done killed him," Jackson said on Facebook, before jumping on a train to New York City. “I did it... Come get me.” (That video was documented by Syracuse police and removed.)

That confession, text messages between the killers, as well as Jackson’s continued refusal to take responsibility despite his plea, was enough to yank the 22-year plea deal, the judge ruled.

The plea deal off, Jackson again faced murder. And in the heat of the moment, he nearly demanded a trial. He would have then faced 25 years to life in prison, had he been convicted.

But after a week to think it over, Jackson opted Friday for a revised deal: 25 years in prison. No chance that he’d spend longer than that behind bars. Dougherty agreed to that sentence.

So Jackson was sentenced Friday to the additional three years. He declined comment in court.

One of Ford’s family thanked authorities for bringing his killers to justice, but said the family would never forgive Jackson -- or the shooter Smith -- for what they’d done.

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