By Shavonne Potts
spotts@salisburypost.com
KANNAPOLIS — Two of the four men charged in the 2009 shooting death of a Concord man have pleaded guilty in Cabarrus County.
Demarcus Antwain Rivens, and Jimmon Leedarrente Rice were charged in August 2009 for their involvement in the killing.
Rivens, 30, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 121/2 years to 16 years in prison. Rice, 26, pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact of second-degree murder and was sentenced to seven to nine years.
The two others — Kevin Kirkpatrick, 19, and Deandre Javont Little, 36, were both charged with first-degree murder. Kirkpatrick and Little’s cases have not gone to trial.
James Lazarro Deese, 40, was shot outside the Cabarrus Arms Apartments on South Main Street. He died later at Carolinas Medical Center-NorthEast.
Witnesses told Kannapolis Police officers responding to the shooting they saw a white sport utility vehicle leaving the scene. The vehicle was stopped and the four men detained. A search dog located a .40-caliber handgun in the vehicle.
Kirkpatrick remains in the Cabarrus County jail under a $200,000 bond. Little remains in the jail under a $1 million bond. In addition to murder, he is charged with three counts of driving while license revoked.
According to jail records, both Kirkpatrick and Little have been in the jail since August 19, 2009, a day after the shooting.
Contact reporter Shavonne Potts at 704-797-4253.