ST PAUL, Minn. — The man who fired the bullet that killed a woman inside the Truck Park Bar complex in St. Paul will serve a sentence of nearly 37 years in prison.
Terry Brown was sentenced in Ramsey Country District Court Tuesday for his role in the shootout that caused the death of 27-year-old Marquisha Wiley in October of 2021. Along with 441 months in prison (36.75 years) for second-degree murder, Judge Carolina Lamas sentenced Brown to four sentences of 220 1/2 months for attempted murder, and 60 months for being an ineligible person in possession of a firearm.
Judge Lamas ordered that all of the sentences be served concurrently (at the same time), meaning that the murder sentence of 36.75 years will be the standard.
On that fateful night, Wiley was out at the Truck Park Bar with her brother and a group of friends when Brown's co-defendant Devondre Phillips engaged in a gunfight over a previous disagreement. Marquisha was caught in the crossfire and died in her brother's arms. Multiple others in the bar were injured by flying bullets.
Before sentencing was pronounced members of Wiley's family delivered victim impact statements, attempting to convey the devastation of her loss. Her sister Aundrea Wiley called Marquisha her best friend, "the person she shared her deepest joys and sorrows with."
“I see my parents cry every day… a reminder she is no longer with us,” Wiley told the court. "[Brown] needs to be shown there are consequences for your actions.”
Her mother Beth Wiley detailed how that single moment has impacted not only their lives but those of Marquisha's friends who miss her infectious energy and kindness.
“This nightmare has senselessly destroyed so many people’s lives,” she said, calling for a significant sentence.
Marquisha's younger brother Kevaughn Wiley told Brown that his family is forgiving, but insisted the defendant has shown no remorse for taking a life and changing others' lives forever.
“I want you to sit and think for a long time, how can you expect them to forgive you when you haven’t sent condolences or even a sorry,” he said softly.
When given his opportunity to speak, Terry Brown told the courtroom he went to the Truck Park Bar that night with no intention of causing trouble, and throughout his trial blamed the violence on Devondre Phillips, saying he fired in self-defense. He did publicly apologize to the Wiley family and said that as a father of six, he should be setting a better example for his children, especially his five sons.
Minnesota law calls for Brown to serve 294 months (24.5 years) behind bars, with another 147 months of supervised release. He will be credited for 667 days in jail.
Co-defendant Devondre Phillips was previously convicted on eight counts of attempted murder and was sentenced to 29 years in prison.
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