NORFOLK, Va. — A bizarre twist of fate helped Norfolk Police crack a Jojuan Benton, 23, was sentenced on July 25 to 4½ years in prison following a jury conviction on charges of malicious wounding, use of a firearm, and shooting at an occupied vehicle. His co-defendant, 29-year-old Joseph Lee Sherrod Jr., pleaded guilty last fall and received a five-year sentence.
The shooting happened in the early morning hours of April 22, 2023, outside a home on Grayson Avenue. According to prosecutors, three people were leaving the home when Benton and Sherrod opened fire, wounding one man in the leg. One of the uninjured victims ran back inside, retrieved a firearm, and returned fire — injuring both Benton and Sherrod.
The Yellow Shoes That Gave It Away
The victims didn’t know their attackers, but they remembered one of them — later identified as Sherrod — wearing bright yellow sneakers.
After the exchange of gunfire, the shooter who had been hit drove the wounded victim to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. Coincidentally, Benton and Sherrod showed up at the same hospital to get treatment for their own gunshot wounds.
One of the victims spotted Sherrod — shirtless and wearing the same yellow shoes — and immediately alerted police. Officers quickly connected the dots and arrested both men that day.
Evidence and Trial
Police collected evidence from the scene, including bullet casings, a bloodied shirt, and blood spatter on a fence. A search of Benton’s home turned up a firearm that matched the shell casings.
Though preliminary charges against Benton were initially dismissed due to a lack of forensic results, a ballistics test later confirmed the gun recovered from his home had been used in the shooting. DNA testing linked the blood from the shirt and fence to Sherrod. With that evidence, a grand jury indicted both men.
Sherrod pleaded guilty in October 2024 to malicious wounding, two counts of attempted malicious wounding, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Under his plea agreement, he received five years in prison with another 30 years suspended, provided he stays out of trouble and complies with five years of supervised probation and no contact with the victims. Judge Joseph C. Lindsey accepted the deal.
Benton opted for a jury trial, which took place in May 2025. After two days of evidence, jurors convicted him on three charges and dismissed the rest. On July 25, Judge David W. Lannetti sentenced Benton to 4 years and 6 months, suspending another 13 years and 6 months under conditions that include three years of supervised probation, five years of good behavior, and no contact with his victims or with Sherrod.
A Lucky Break — and a Lesson
“In this case, fact was stranger than fiction,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “It was sheer luck that the victims and suspects ended up at the same hospital. That, plus strong investigative work, led to arrests within hours.”
Fatehi praised the victim for staying alert and police for acting fast. “Benton and Sherrod will now serve time for their unprovoked violence. We’ll keep focusing our efforts on those who make our communities less safe.”