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Rapper Joshua Ribera's killer Armani Mitchell jailed | |
(35 minutes later) | |
A teenager who murdered a Birmingham rapper in a street stabbing has been jailed for a minimum of 18 years. | |
Armani Deniro Mitchell, 18, of The Green, Northfield, had denied killing Joshua Ribera, who was stabbed through the heart in September near TC's nightclub in Selly Oak. | |
However, the jury at Birmingham Crown Court unanimously found Mitchell guilty of the killing. | However, the jury at Birmingham Crown Court unanimously found Mitchell guilty of the killing. |
Shouting broke out in the court as the verdict was announced. | Shouting broke out in the court as the verdict was announced. |
The judge, William Davis QC, ordered the arrest of several men in the court as as result of the disturbance. | |
Whispered name | |
Mr Ribera, also 18, was killed during a party at the nightclub that was organised to commemorate Mr Ribera's friend - 16-year-old Kyle Sheehan, who himself had died in a stabbing the previous year. | |
Prosecutor James Curtis QC told the court Mitchell had been enraged to see his ex-girlfriend with Mr Ribera and had threatened him, saying "Do you want me to wet you up?" | |
As Mr Ribera lay dying, the court heard he had whispered "Switch", the nickname of his attacker, to paramedics who were treating him. | |
He was a talented rap artist and had enjoyed a number one hit on the iTunes website. | |
In 2013, Birmingham's Crime Commissioner, Bob Jones, announced he was organising a knife surrender in the city which would be dedicated to Mr Ribera. | |
Mr Jones said he wanted to positively use the "grief and energy" of the victim's fans to encourage others to abandon knives. | |
Anonymous "drop-off points" for knives were set up around the city in January. | |
Speaking at the time Mr Ribera's mother, Alison Cope, said she hoped her son's name "can continue to help and guide people, in the same way his music has". |
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