The Indiana Court of Appeals rejected a Gary man’s bid last week to cut his sentence for attacking multiple women.
Devonte Green, 30, got a maximum 42 years in August under a plea deal in multiple criminal cases for battery, two counts of criminal confinement, one count of obstruction of justice and a gun enhancement.
In his appeal, Green argued the sentence was too harsh – that Judge Samuel Cappas abused his discretion with the factors used to come up with his prison term.
In a 3-0 decision, Appeals Judge Mark Bailey rejected this, noting Cappas could have used any number of other factors to give “the same sentence.”
Green had a troubled criminal history that included four juvenile adjudications (convictions), four felony convictions and two misdemeanors, Bailey wrote.
Many “were for violent crimes” that included weapons, he wrote. Green failed probation twice and was on pretrial release when he committed other crimes.
At sentencing, Deputy Prosecutor Lindsey Lanham said Green was charged after calling at least two women from jail to try to stop them from coming to court. Once his jail account was shut down, he used other inmates’ accounts. He was also written up for attacking another inmate and not listening to a correctional officer.
Green’s character was “violent,” “lacking in respect for authority,” “dishonest,” and “anti-social,” Bailey wrote.
Green can appeal to the Indiana Supreme Court. His earliest release date is in March 2056.
Authorities alleged Green was a serial abuser who attacked three different girlfriends and shot one of their friends in the leg, who was trying to protect her.
In another case, he broke into a different woman’s home in September 2024, pistol-whipped her around 3 a.m., then later threatened to shoot her toddler, charges allege.
Lanham noted at sentencing that Green was charged as a co-defendant in a 2014 murder case — the Dec. 17, 2012, shooting death of Richard Taylor, 25, according to Post-Tribune archives. At the time, prosecutors dismissed the case, saying they wanted more time to investigate.
They ultimately opted not to re-file the case, Lanham said.
Patrick Young, his defense lawyer, said during the sentencing hearing that Green pledged to stop calling the women from prison.
His client admitted his guilt and was doing some “soul-searching” on why he attacked women, Young said. “He’s trying to figure it out himself.”
Post-Tribune archives contributed. mcolias@post-trib.com
