The final defendant accused of participating in the beating of a man – who used to be a professional fighter – as well as shooting his friend, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and aggravated battery Thursday, Oct. 6.
Harold Doby, 30, his attorney, friends and family members spoke of how Doby isn’t the man portrayed by the prosecutor. Doby operates a non-profit helping children whose childhood is filled with obstacles. He’s an example to be follow – a man who overcame those challenges, graduated from college and came home to give back to community, more than one supporter said.
Assistant District Attorney Jarryd Brown said the victims’ lives have been a nightmare since the night of Jan. 24, 2019, after the Limelight Café closed and Paul Dantzler was sucker punched and jumped by four men. Dantzler, who used to be an Ultimate Fighting Championship contender, suffered extensive injuries including the loss of sight in one eye, Brown said.
His girlfriend was grabbed from a vehicle and slammed to the pavement. Mark Harmon, Dantzler’s friend who came to his aid was also beaten, and then when he tried to stopped Doby from leaving the scene before the police came, Doby shot him twice, Brown said.
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And in May, Doby returned to the Limelight Café — in violation of the conditions of his bond — and got into another fight, kicking a man who was down, Brown said.
The case isn’t that cut and dried, defense attorney Scott Connell countered. It was a tense situation and Doby admits he overreacted when he shot Harmon.
But there was much mitigation to the case, Connell said.
Chief Judge Daniel Craig pressed Doby to explain what he was doing brawling again at the Limelight Café in violation of the bond condition he set. Doby said he has learned his lesson and no longer hangs out in bars, focusing exclusively on his family, job and charity works.
Craig sentenced Doby to 20 years’ probation with a catch; unless he pays $145,000 in restitution to the victims within 12 months, that 20-year sentence will become a 20-year prison term.
The other defendants in the case were Angelo Allen, 36, sentenced to seven years on probation after spent three years in prison for violating probation based on this case; Tymein E. Walker, 29, sentenced to 10 years on probation; and Mylez Pvel, 36, sentenced to five years on probation.
Sandy Hodson is a staff reporter covering courts for The Augusta Press. Reach her at sandy@theaugustapress.com.
