Family of Flint teen convicted for role in pizza delivery killing asks for justice

Clark, Antonio.jpg Antonio Clark  
FLINT, MI -- The family of a Flint teen convicted of being involved in the shooting death of a pizza delivery man is asking for justice when he is sentenced Monday, April 1.

Antonio Terreno Clark, 19, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and felony firearms Tuesday, Feb. 26, for his role in the death of 33-year-old Michael Nettles

Nettles was robbed and killed April 7, 2010, while delivering a pizza to a home near the corner of Sonny Avenue and Sterling Street.

A second-degree murder charge carries up to life in prison while felony firearms carries a mandatory two-year sentence. Court records shows Clark is seeking a minimum sentence of 18 years for the murder charge.

However, Clark's family said they are concerned that he could spend an extended time in prison for what they claim was a small role in the crime while others that were more involved get less time in prison.

"We just want justice," said Clark's mother, Raquel Rawls.

Juwan Wickware, 19, was found guilty of felony murder, armed robbery, conspiracy to committed armed robbery and felony firearms after authorities say he Donqua D. Williams, 19, shot Nettles. Jurors found Williams not guilty.

Prosecutors initially believed that Clark provided the weapons to Wickware and Williams but testimony from a woman who was traveling in Nettles' Jeep with him as he delivered pizza the day he was killed testified during Williams' trial that it was actually Clark that shot Nettles, not Williams.

Clark's family maintains that his only involvement in the crime was selling the murder weapons to the shooters, but not with the intent to commit a robbery.

Authorities say a phone call placing an order with Little Caesars was made by another co-defendant, Quantageah Penegar. The pizza was to be delivered to a home on the 3000 block of Sterling Street, next door to the house where the suspects were socializing.

Nettles was robbed and shot when he delivered the pizza.


Clark's family said they feel that the robbery wouldn't have occurred if Penegar didn't make the call to the pizza place and that she shouldn't receive a shorter sentence than Clark.

"If it wasn't for her it never would have went down," said Clark's uncle Harold Ashburn.

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said that Penegar's sentence was the result of her agreeing to testify in the cases and never actually going outside the house during the robbery.

Leyton said Clark deserves the stiffer sentence because he was one of three people prosecutors possessed a gun during the incident.

Flint attorney Frank J. Manley, who represented Clark in the case, said said that his firm did everything it could to defend Clark.

"These kinds of cases are hard for all involved," said Manley. "Some go to prison and some go to the grave."

Clark's family said it was pleased with how Manley represented Clark and felt that Genesee Circuit Judge Archie Hayman was fair in hearing the cases.

The sentencing hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. in front of Hayman.