Ohio law allows for self-defense, but Tylan Sims’ 2020 fatal shooting of another man was “self-offense,” Franklin County Assistant Prosecutor Jack Wong said Friday at Sims’ sentencing in county Common Pleas Court.
Judge Kim Brown sentenced Sims, 25, of the Northeast Side, to life in prison with the opportunity for parole after 21 years. A jury convicted Sims last month of murder for the death of 20-year-old Dezujwuan Pyfrom.
Surveillance video captured the afternoon shooting on Sept. 7, 2020 by Sims and his codefendant Adonis Walker outside a convenience store in the 1400 block of Sunbury Road on the Northeast Side.
Pyfrom was parking a truck in the store lot when Sims and Walker opened fire on him and then fled the scene, according to prosecutors.
Sims testified during his trial that he shot at Pyfrom because there had been recent threats on his life and he believed Pyfrom was involved.
Leo Ross, Sims’ defense attorney, said that prior to the shooting, somebody shot up Sims’ car while he was in it and fired more than 100 rounds into Sims’ grandmother’s home where he was living.
“This man knew that he was under threat, and he reacted” Ross said. “He acted, yes very quickly in this situation, but he certainly did not do this out of malice.”
Wong said during the hearing that Sims never gave Pyfrom a chance to do anything before Sims opened fire. Pyfrom’s head was turned the other way on the video when Sims began shooting, according to Wong.
Wong said the prosecution believes Sims also lied during his testimony.
Gina Nchor, Pyfrom’s mother, spoke during the hearing.
“My son was murdered by a coward,” Nchor said. “His life was just beginning. Who was you to play God?”
During the hearing, Sims apologized to his own family and then to Pyfrom’s family.
“In all honesty, I never intended to hurt anyone. I was just trying to protect myself,” Sims said.
Sims asked Judge Brown to appoint an attorney to handle an appeal of his conviction.
When the jury convicted Sims, they found him not guilty of one count of murder but guilty of another count of murder, essentially determining Sims was not guilty of purposefully causing Pyfrom’s death, but guilty of causing Pyfrom’s death by purposefully committing felonious assault.
The jury also found Sims guilty of felonious assault.
Walker, 24, pleaded guilty on Aug. 31 to attempted murder and multiple counts of felonious assault. Franklin County prosecutors dropped a murder charge. Walker is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11. His defense attorney and prosecutors are jointly recommending that Brown sentence Walker to an indefinite prison term of 11 years to 15 years in prison.