A 19-year-old man was sentenced to 12 years in prison after being convicted of manslaughter in the 2019 shooting death of a father who found him inside his 15-year-old daughter’s bedroom following a secret overnight encounter.
James Deon Bryant Jr. was convicted by a jury in July 2022 of manslaughter in the death of Alberto Hernandez Jr., 38. Circuit Judge Sarah Willis handed down the 12-year sentence in October 2022.
According to Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office reports and court testimony, the incident took place on November 10, 2019. Bryant had been communicating with the 15-year-old girl and arrived at the family home around 2 a.m. via Uber. The girl admitted to investigators that she let him inside voluntarily, and the two had consensual sex in her bedroom.
Later that morning, Hernandez discovered Bryant in his daughter’s room, leading to a confrontation. Authorities said Bryant, who was armed, told Hernandez he wasn’t going to jail. Hernandez directed his wife to call 911. A struggle over the gun followed, during which it discharged. Hernandez was shot in the torso and died from his injuries. Bryant was also wounded in the knee and wrist.
Bryant fled the home by jumping a fence despite his injuries. He then went to a neighboring residence on Carver Street, where he was recorded on a Ring doorbell camera. Appearing nervous and limping, he asked to use the phone, claiming his car had broken down and he needed to call his mother. He declined the homeowner’s repeated offers to call 911 and left the property as police sirens approached.
Deputies located Bryant a short distance away with the help of a K-9 unit, recovered his handgun, and arrested him. He was treated for his gunshot wounds at a local hospital.
Bryant was initially charged with second-degree murder with a firearm. The jury ultimately convicted him of manslaughter, determining the shooting occurred during a mutual struggle, and acquitted him of burglary charges.
During sentencing, Bryant apologized to Hernandez’s family. Judge Willis called the case a tragedy in which “two lives were forever changed.”
The case also involved statutory rape concerns due to the age difference between Bryant and the underage girl.
The release of the Ring doorbell footage, which captured Bryant seeking help while attempting to evade capture, contributed to local media coverage of the incident.
