Published: Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Man pleads guilty in deadly shooting
EVERETT -- An Everett man on Tuesday admitted he fatally shot a Shoreline man last summer.
James "Rick" Prizmich is facing more than dozen years in prison for killing Cory Hamilton, 38, during a dispute outside a house on 75th Street SE in Everett.
Prizmich, 46, pleaded guilty Tuesday to first-degree manslaughter, illegally possessing a gun and eluding police. He is scheduled to be sentenced July 1.
Prizmich initially was charged with second-degree murder for the July 2008 slaying. By pleading guilty to manslaughter, Prizmich admitted he recklessly caused the younger man's death but denied that he intended to kill Hamilton.
Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Halley Hupp said the manslaughter conviction, along with the other felony convictions, is expected to carry about the same sentence as a second-degree murder conviction.
"It's the same sentence I asked for a year ago," Hupp said.
Hupp will recommend that Prizmich spend nearly 13 years behind bars.
Investigators believe Hamilton, Prizmich and another man were arguing about dope and a car. The argument spilled outside, where Prizmich pulled out a gun and shot Hamilton. Witnesses reported that Hamilton was unarmed.
After the shooting Prizmich went to his ex-wife's business, where he told her that "he did something stupid," and admitted to shooting a man in Everett who had accused him of stealing dope, according to court papers.
Prizmich, a convicted felon, was out on bail at the time of the shooting. He had been charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and first-degree escape after he allegedly opened fire with an assault rifle at an Everett park in February 2008.
Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463, hefley@heraldnet.com.
James "Rick" Prizmich is facing more than dozen years in prison for killing Cory Hamilton, 38, during a dispute outside a house on 75th Street SE in Everett.
Prizmich, 46, pleaded guilty Tuesday to first-degree manslaughter, illegally possessing a gun and eluding police. He is scheduled to be sentenced July 1.
Prizmich initially was charged with second-degree murder for the July 2008 slaying. By pleading guilty to manslaughter, Prizmich admitted he recklessly caused the younger man's death but denied that he intended to kill Hamilton.
Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Halley Hupp said the manslaughter conviction, along with the other felony convictions, is expected to carry about the same sentence as a second-degree murder conviction.
"It's the same sentence I asked for a year ago," Hupp said.
Hupp will recommend that Prizmich spend nearly 13 years behind bars.
Investigators believe Hamilton, Prizmich and another man were arguing about dope and a car. The argument spilled outside, where Prizmich pulled out a gun and shot Hamilton. Witnesses reported that Hamilton was unarmed.
After the shooting Prizmich went to his ex-wife's business, where he told her that "he did something stupid," and admitted to shooting a man in Everett who had accused him of stealing dope, according to court papers.
Prizmich, a convicted felon, was out on bail at the time of the shooting. He had been charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and first-degree escape after he allegedly opened fire with an assault rifle at an Everett park in February 2008.
Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463, hefley@heraldnet.com.
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