Jury trial begins in New Year's Eve murder of Damarcus Hartwell

An 18-year-old Akron man will go on trial Tuesday with jury selection to begin this morning. Cameron Jones is charged in the deadly New Year's Eve shooting of Damarcus Hartwell, 34, in 2022.

Jones, represented by attorney Erik Jones, is expected to argue self-defense during the trial, according to court documents. He is charged with aggravated murder, two counts of murder, two counts of robbery and one count of robbery and felonious assault

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The incident occurred just before midnight at a home in the 1200 block of Louisiana Avenue in Kenmore. Hartwell was shot once in the torso and had a graze wound in his thigh. He was taken to Cleveland Clinic Akron General where he was pronounced dead.

Jones is one of four people who faced charges in the shooting. Nino Jennings, Makhi Anderson-Clay and Layveire Belton all pleaded guilty earlier this year to aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony. Prosecutors dismissed a murder charge in three plea deals.

Jennings, Anderson-Clay and Belton will be sentenced on April 29 in Summit County Common Pleas Court Judge Joy Malek Oldfield's courtroom.

Bryce Buyakie covers courts and public safety for the Beacon Journal. He can be reached by email at bbuyakie@gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @bryce_buyakie.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron man goes on trial in deadly New Year's Eve shooting