A judge denied probation for a Lawrence man who expressed deep regret and pleaded no contest in the June 2023 shooting death of 20-year-old Cameron Renner, of Topeka, sentencing him Friday to about 2.5 years in prison.

Maliq’e Crenshaw, 23, could have received more than 11 years in prison for involuntary manslaughter, but was given the “mitigated” sentence based on Crenshaw’s limited criminal history and the circumstances of the crime. Prior to the plea agreement, Crenshaw was initially charged with second-degree murder.

Before announcing the sentence, District Judge Stacey Donovan heard testimony from a psychologist who evaluated Crenshaw on behalf of the defense and listened to statements from family members of both the victim and defendant.

Crenshaw also spoke but struggled as he choked back tears during his statement.

“Words can’t begin to describe the amount of remorse and regret that I feel on an everyday basis,” Crenshaw said. “I find myself wondering what more I could have done to prevent the outcome of that night.”

Crenshaw shot and killed Renner outside of the apartment where Crenshaw had been living near 24th Street and Cedarwood Avenue.

Renner traveled from Topeka with three other people including his cousin, Dawson Paine, who is currently awaiting trial in connection with the death of 18-year-old Davin Gregory Kerr. Kerr was shot and killed March 5 at the Lawrence home he shared with his grandmother.

In court Friday, Chief Public Defender Jessica Glendening gave additional details about the events that led up to the shooting.

Glendening said the Topeka men had threatened Crenshaw and his friends over FaceTime, flashing a gun and telling Crenshaw’s group that they knew where they lived. Neither Renner nor Crenshaw were directly involved in the initial argument that led to the threats, she said.

Glendening said that after the phone call, someone in Renner’s group texted a message with Crenshaw’s address as further proof that they knew where Crenshaw and his friends were.

Sometime later, a mutual friend texted a photo sent to her by the men from Topeka. The photo showed Crenshaw and his friends outside of Crenshaw’s apartment. It appeared to have been taken that evening, and was was sent with a one-word message: “peekaboo.”

Renner’s group showed up at the apartment after dark. Glendening said Crenshaw and his friends, who were still outside despite having received the photograph, watched a group of masked individuals approach the balcony area of his apartment. Court records indicate that someone in Renner’s group lit and threw fireworks in the direction of Crenshaw’s apartment balcony.

Crenshaw told the judge on Friday that he mistook the sounds of the fireworks for gunshots, drew his gun, and fired three shots in self-defense.

“I was shaking with fear because I didn’t know what to do,” Crenshaw read from a statement. “They were brandishing weapons as if they were toys. When I heard what sounded like gunshots I just reacted.”

Crenshaw’s gun was acquired legally, and he turned it over to police as part of the investigation.

Crenshaw explained that he had intended to “keep the peace” on the evening of the incident, but he felt like he couldn’t abandon his friends after they had been threatened.

After the shooting, Crenshaw said he ran inside the apartment. Once there, however, he realized not all his friends had come with him. When he went back outside, he found Renner lying on the ground bleeding but still alive. The group Renner arrived with had fled the scene after the shooting, leaving Renner behind.

“He was still wearing a mask, so I took it off and checked his pulse,” Crenshaw said. “I didn’t want anyone to die. I understand the importance of life and how easily it can be taken away.”

According to testimony cited by Donovan on Friday, Crenshaw helped load Renner into a car that headed to Lawrence Memorial Hospital. Along the way, Crenshaw became frustrated that the driver wasn’t going fast enough, so the men pulled over to allow Crenshaw to take the wheel.

At the hospital Renner was rushed into the emergency room, where it was discovered Renner had been shot in the back. The bullet pierced both lungs before exiting through his shoulder.

Crenshaw spoke with police who had been dispatched to the hospital. He told police what had happened, surrendered the gun and consented to a search of his cell phone.

Renner’s grandmother, Leslie Paine, told the court she wished the case had gone to trial under the original charges, enabling a jury to come to a verdict based on “the whole truth,” which she said would never be told because of the plea agreement.

“My sweet grandson drowned in his own blood because of a person he doesn’t even know,” she said.

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Gregory Nawalanic, director of Psychology Services at the University of Kansas Health System’s Strawberry Hill Campus, testified Friday that he had examined Crenshaw and found him to be suffering moderate anxiety and depression. Tests also showed that Crenshaw showed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and interpersonal suspicion that could be attributed to a difficult childhood.

In her statement to the court, Crenshaw’s mother, Idella Crenshaw, acknowledged the tragedy of the shooting and said there were no words she could give to be enough comfort for Renner’s family.

She said as a young mother in Baltimore she was “unprepared mentally and financially” to take care of a child. She said she failed to protect her son from the violence in Baltimore, and that he had been bullied since first grade.

“At first, he would just stand there and take it,” Crenshaw’s mother said. “Then I encouraged him to stand up for himself. Baltimore is not a place you can afford to be weak.”

Crenshaw was later sent to Kansas to escape the violence, but there was trouble in Lawrence too. In December 2022, Crenshaw was charged with domestic battery and making criminal threats. Although he was initially granted diversion, a bench warrant was issued for his arrest in June 2023.

In August 2023, Crenshaw was charged with aggravated domestic battery and violation of a protective order. Those cases were dismissed as part of the plea agreement for the current case.

Nawalanic said after testing Crenshaw and interviewing him earlier this month, he determined that Crenshaw’s history caused him to be “in a constant state of vigilance,” but that he could potentially be helped with treatment. Nawalanic assessed Crenshaw’s potential for recidivism as below average, in the 22nd percentile.

Nawalanic, who was formerly director of behavioral health at Lansing Correctional Facility, said it was his opinion that Crenshaw would benefit more from individual therapy than imprisonment.

“Serving time in prison? I don’t know that it ever helps anyone find a better way in life,” Nawalanic said. “I would see this as losing another life through long-term incarceration.”

Deputy District Attorney David Greenwald questioned the thoroughness of Nawalanic’s assessment, citing incidents from Crenshaw’s youth that Nawalanic said he was not aware of.

Greenwald said Nawalanic’s report was lacking in substance, and that it showed Crenshaw’s inability to take responsibility for “the violence of his youth.” Greenwald also said that the report showed Crenshaw had no remorse for Renner until he had spent significant time in the Douglas County Jail.

“This court’s job is to protect the community,” Greenwald said. “Maliq’e Crenshaw is dangerous to this community. Maliq’e Crenshaw represents a threat to the public.”

Katie Paine, Renner’s mother, spoke directly to Crenshaw during her statement.

“Your careless actions have created enormous sadness for me and my entire family. My heart is broken with a piece of it missing,” she said. “I’m glad this day is here. After today I don’t have to think of you anymore. After today I can start to heal.”

Donovan told Crenshaw that she believed the sincerity of Crenshaw’s remorse for Renner’s death. She called his actions to bring Renner to the hospital and his willingness to cooperate with police “unusual” in her experience.

However, she didn’t believe those actions were enough for Crenshaw to avoid incarceration. Donovan said Crenshaw had the opportunity to call the police or leave the scene rather than shoot into the crowd throwing fireworks at his apartment.

“What the court cannot get past is that the weapon was pulled, and the weapon was used,” Donovan said. “The decision was made not to run away from it, but to run to it. I cannot find that those factors are such that the court should depart dispositionally.”

Crenshaw was given 318 days credit for the time he has already spent in jail. He can earn a 15% reduction in his sentence for good behavior. Crenshaw will remain under post-release supervision for 24 months and is required to register as a violent offender for 15 years.

“There’s no one in this room who’s going to leave here today without suffering because this is such a tragic loss,” Donovan said. “I hope this gives your family some closure. I hope you also can be open to listening to the other things said in court today too.”

Andrea Albright (she/her), reporter, can be reached at aalbright (at) lawrencekstimes (dot) com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.

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