Two brothers get life plus 20 years in killing

Brothers Donte and Tavon Tyner were each sentenced in Baltimore Circuit Court yesterday to two concurrent life terms plus 20 years in prison for the murder of Darrell Artis, 26, during a drunken argument on a parking lot in the 7800 block of McClean Blvd.

A Baltimore jury convicted Donte Tyner, 24, and Tavon Tyner, 21, of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and handgun charges in the September 2006 shooting. The victim was shot 17 times. The dispute began over a drink or loud singing and quickly escalated.

"Here are two young men whose lives are going to be messed up, and another young man who is dead - for no reason other than they happened to have handguns," Circuit Judge Roger W. Brown said before issuing the sentences.

Tavon Tyner's defense attorney, Margaret Mead, said she would appeal the ruling.

Yesterday, Mead argued that her client should be given a new trial because the prosecutor failed to turn over a transcript and recording of an interview with an eyewitness, who said the shots were fired from one gun by an unknown man.

Brown ruled against Mead, arguing the material did not differ significantly from notes from that interview, which were released to the defense. The bulk of the evidence pointed to Donte Tyner firing the gun, Mead said.