Rockford man sentenced to 75 years for 2008 shooting death

From press release

Winnebago County State’s Attorney Joe Bruscato announced Jan. 5 that DeMichael Foat, 20, of Rockford, was sentenced by the Judge Ronald White to 75 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for the offense of first-degree murder for the shooting death of Jermaine Malone. Foat was found guilty by a jury Aug. 18, 2009.

Jan. 1, 2008, shortly before 4:30 a.m., Rockford police officers were dispatched to the 600 block of South Central Avenue for a traffic accident involving two cars. Upon arrival, officers located Malone, 24 years old, lying on the road with a gunshot wound to his head. Malone had been a passenger in the front seat of one of the vehicles.

Malone was transported to a hospital, where he later died. The cause of death was later determined by a forensic pathologist to be a gunshot wound to the head.

After detectives interviewed several eyewitnesses, Foat was identified as being the person who they saw shoot Malone.

The penalty range for first-degree murder is 20-60 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. However, because of the aggravating factor of personally discharging a firearm that proximately causes the death of another, the penalty range is increased to 45 years to natural life in the Illinois Department of Corrections.