BOSTON, Jan. 29, 2016—A Dorchester man was sentenced to life in prison today after a jury yesterday convicted him of murdering 25-year-old Mariano Malave, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

CHARLES REDDICKS (D.O.B. 4/20/94), convicted yesterday of second-degree murder and firearm charges in Malave’s 2012 shooting death, faced sentencing this morning before Suffolk Superior Court Judge Linda Giles.  Giles imposed the mandatory sentence for murder two of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 15 years, with concurrent sentences of five years on a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm followed by one day on a count of carrying a loaded firearm.  Assistant District Attorney Greg Henning of the DA’s Senior Trial Unit had asked that the sentences be imposed consecutive to the life sentence.

Before the sentence was imposed, several of Malave’s family members delivered impact statements detailing how their loved one’s murder has affected their lives.

“I’ll never have the opportunity to talk to him again, to share stories and jokes,” Malave’s cousin told the court.  “I’m grateful for the 25 years we had, but we won’t get 25 more.  We’ll never be able to see him grow old, to have kids of his own.”

During the course of the weeklong trial, Henning introduced evidence and testimony – including witness statements, cell phone records, and video evidence – to prove that Reddicks arranged to meet Malave at a Hyde Park Avenue residence to purchase a large quantity of marijuana on April 27, 2012.  Reddicks fatally shot Malave during the transaction and then fled the scene.  He was arrested three weeks later.

“No matter who they are, no matter their choices in life, every homicide victim is important to us and every family deserves to see justice done,” Conley said. “I’m deeply grateful to the prosecutors, detectives, victim advocates, and others who worked so hard to deliver that justice to Mr. Malave’s loved ones.”

At the time of the murder, Reddicks was free on bail in a 2011 case charging unlawful possession of a firearm and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.  In 2013, he pleaded guilty to those charges and received a sentence of three years in prison, which he served awaiting trial for murder.

Jennifer Sears was the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocate.  Reddicks was represented by Rosemary Scappicchio.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.