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Defendant Pleads Guilty for Murder of Ole Miss Student, Zacharias McClendon
Zacharias McClendon
Today on April 7, 2016, Derrick Boone pleaded guilty to the 2013 murder of former Ole Miss student Zacharius McClendon and was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. Boone will be serving his sentence at the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
Derrick Boone
Boone was only one of the three charged with capital murder. The two co-defendants, Steven Wilbanks and Joseph Lyons have yet to stand trial.
The trial came to an end after only four days of proceedings. Monday and Tuesday were jury selection. Wednesday followed with opening statements from the plaintiff and defense attorneys, and today marked the end with Boone’s plea.
Co-defendant Wilbanks was brought in to testify. Before leaving the courtroom, he apologized for the murder that took place.
Steven Wilbanks
“I would just like to apologize for what I did, my part in it. It was heinous, foolish act, and I was a dumb man. I didn’t know what I was doing. I shouldn’t have done it. None of us should’ve been there. We shouldn’t be having this discussion right now,” Wilbanks said in a statement to the victim’s family before leaving the stand.
Boone also apologized to the victim’s family before leaving the courtroom.
“I wish this trial could be condensed into a shorter term, and be required for any student enrolled at the University of Mississippi, to inform them that the choices we make when we’re young, can have devastating consequences. In some ways I feel sorry for you, in some ways I don’t,” Judge Luther said in closing.
Mia Sims is a HottyToddy.com intern. She can be reached at masims@go.olemiss.edu. Payton Green also contributed to this article.
Callie Daniels Bryant is the senior managing editor at HottyToddy.com. She can be reached at callie.daniels@hottytoddy.com.
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Morgan
April 7, 2016 at 6:15 pm
This guy should have get the needle.
Ryan
April 7, 2016 at 8:27 pm
Probably a plea deal. He pleads guilty and they take the needle off the table. Just guessing
Anonymous
April 8, 2016 at 9:33 pm
The public never gets the whole truth. Be careful what you say.
Gary Mooers
April 9, 2016 at 9:32 am
Matt Wibanks is a person without a soul. Derrick Boone just became his second victim.
Closedwindow
April 11, 2016 at 9:20 am
The comment from Gary Mooers is a perfect example of people commenting on what they know nothing about….if he read the confessions or was in the courtroom he would know that Boone was in on the plan from the beginning months in advance. Boone tried to lie his way out of blame by saying he wasn’t in the room when in fact he was there and gave the nod to Wilbanks to get on with it…Boone was not Wilbanks’ victim…Wilbanks and Lyons brought justice to the McClendons by seeing to it that EVERYONE involved was punished. The victims are the families of all four. The McClendons especially and the families of the defendants. The McClendons themselves acknowledged that much with their comments from the beginning.
MoreInformation
April 19, 2016 at 2:56 pm
I’m confused, was this a thrill kill? Did they plan this for months? Were the defendants on drugs and/or have issue with the victim?