Mich. Man Sentenced in Shooting

Monday, September 11th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

FLINT, Mich. (AP) â€” A man accused of letting a 6-year-old boy get his hands on the gun he allegedly used to kill a first-grade classmate was sentenced Monday to two to 15 years in prison.

Jamelle James, 20, was charged with leaving a .32-caliber semiautomatic pistol in a shoebox in his bedroom. Police say a boy living in the household took the gun to school and shot Kayla Rolland on Feb. 29.

James pleaded no contest last month to involuntary manslaughter.

``It vindicates this little girl's death,'' prosecutor Arthur Busch said.

At his sentencing, James apologized to Kayla's father: ``I'm sorry about the loss of his daughter. I know I've got to do my time.''

The boy was living with James in what prosecutors described as a flophouse where guns and drugs were exchanged. The boy's mother had been evicted from her home and had left the boys at the house a week before the shooting.

The boy, now 7, was not charged in Kayla's death. Prosecutors said he was too young to be held responsible. He told investigators that he was only trying to scare the girl and that the shooting was an accident.

The boy's uncle, Sir Marcus Winfrey, has since pleaded guilty to possessing the stolen gun used in the shooting.

James also pleaded guilty to possessing a stolen shotgun found in the home after the slaying.