Appeals Court Upholds Princeton Murder Conviction – Shaw Local

A former Kewanee man will continue to serve 50 years for a 2020 murder in Princeton. Davijion Robinson recently sued in an appeals court.

Robinson, 24, had argued in Bureau County Circuit Court that he acted in self-defense when he shot Caleb Conrath on July 1, 2020, as part of a failed drug deal.

At a trial, Judge James Andreoni rejected self-defense and convicted Robinson of first-degree murder and the shooting of a surviving woman.

Robinson believed Andreoni had made a mistake and sought relief from the 3rd District Court of Appeal. But in a unanimous ruling issued Thursday, the justices upheld Andreoni's conviction and said the evidence was sufficient to convict Robinson of murder.

In court, Robinson testified that Conrath pulled out his gun and demanded that Robinson give him everything he had in his pocket. When Robinson refused, Conrath pulled the trigger, but the gun apparently jammed. Robinson said he then pulled out his own gun and started shooting.

The judge declined to make a determination about whether Conrath owned a gun. Instead, Andreoni ruled that even if Conrath had a gun, it was unreasonable to believe he posed a threat to Robinson after Conrath was shot in the forearm, hand and leg.

Robinson's argument was further undermined by recorded calls he made from the Bureau County Jail. He was recorded saying, “It's cool, it's my fault,” “I did it,” and “I committed the crime, so I have to do the time.” (He also fled and eluded 13 months long to the police.)

Nevertheless, Robinson appealed, arguing that the evidence was insufficient to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he did not act in self-defense.

The appeals court didn't buy it. Judge Linda Davenport ruled that the evidence showed Conrath was not the original attacker and Robinson was not in immediate danger.

“The only evidence presented that Caleb owned a gun was (Robinson’s) statement,” Davenport wrote. “No weapons or ammunition were found other than the shell casings and live ammunition from (Robinson’s) 9mm. The wound on Caleb's right hand, which (Robinson) stated Caleb was holding a gun, was not consistent with holding an object. Forensic evidence determined that the wound was caused by someone standing with their hands raised in front of their shooter.”

Robinson is scheduled to be eligible for parole in 2071, when he would be 70 years old.