Proof’s Shooter Fined, Sentenced to Time Served

 •  XXL Magazine  •  by XXL Staff  •  42 Comments

proof.jpgMario Etheridge, the Detroit man who fatally shot D12 rapper Proof, was sentenced on Thursday (October 26) by Judge Vera Massey Jones to time served and ordered to pay a $2,000 fine for discharging a firearm in a building. Etheridge was found guilty in September of the charge as well as one count of carrying a concealed weapon, but prosecutors decided not to charge him for the actual killing after they determined that he acted in a lawful manner in defense of his cousin Keith Bender. Moments before Proof was shot by Etheridge, he had drawn a gun on Bender, with whom he had been arguing, and shot him in the face. Bender later died of his wounds. Etheridge spent several days in jail back in April after he turned himself in, resulting in the sentence of time served.

  • POBE

    DAMN TIME SERVED!

  • POBE

    OH FIRST…

  • johnz reply

    thats some bullshit

  • http://xxl.com fresh2def

    dis is tragic, that nigga should burn in hell 4 dat shit
    AND BY DA WAY 1ST

  • e aka the real noreiaga

    People get shot everyday this is some bullshit that people only care cause it happens to some famous weed carrier

  • 420PURP

    TIME SERVED????DIS NIGGA NEED TO BURN!!!

  • stoneyisland

    Smart brother, turned himself in because he knew that he was in the right to draw his weapon. Proof shot first that is without question, live by the sword die by the sword. Maybe this will save some other young ass punk kids, life. Instead of pulling heat knuckle up like a man.

  • http://WW.XXL.COM MARCUS GEATHERS IT’S A GEATHERS THING

    DAMN THAT’S FUCKED UP.

  • gotchabitch

    damn this nigga iz gettin ova.. i noe em n d12 iz pissed

  • http://www.myspace.com/corinnemq Corinne

    Damn, let me shoot someone so I only have to have to get time served, fuck!

  • http://www.myspace.com/afterthesmoke Whuzi

    Proof killed his cousin right in front of him…wtf are you guys talking about. Proof was in the wrong, as much as I thought he was a cool dude. He got himself killed fucking with he wrong folks. They both stupid for their actions.

  • bigt

    Mr Etheridge needs to leave the city before those PA boys get at his ass. This is a lot bigger than what was reported.

  • The Originator

    bullshit!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • http://myspace.com/legacyhiphop Belize

    wack

  • SMARTASS

    What you expect, he killed a rapper. He’s practically a hero to lots of fools in america who hate rap that much.

  • Tex Storm

    The streets are gonna handle that nigga. Fa sho

  • george

    man this is bullshit he should be put in jail for life fuck that fool. a lot of people out there are gonna be mad. especially eminem. im ust gonna say this FUCK YOU ASSHOLE

  • onysik22

    Yeah, you couldn’t really expect too much on him. But he will get clapped up soon. Street justice.

  • Solja and Doja

    etheridge fucked his own life over…
    soon he’ll hear the sounds of a twelve gauge… rip proof

  • http://yahoo.com youmissedmehuh

    THAT MAN READ HIS GUN LICENCING HAND BOOK AND KNEW HIS RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS LAWS…..TIME SERVED THATS COLD CALCULATED MURDER… AND THE KICKER HE CAN’T BE TRIED AGAIN FOR IT

  • http://yahoo.com youmissedmehuh

    ONLY JUSTICE IS SEEN THRU THE HANDS OF GOD …..READ THE BIBLE

  • Cordearo’

    i know if proof shot my cuz’in i would have plant one between his eyes too

  • http://www.myspace.com/cordearo

    i know if proof shot my cousin i would have plant one between his eyes too

  • Just

    To e aka the real noreiaga:

    U wanna know why people care?!.. Cuz people loved him dude..Thats why.

  • http://www.myspace.com/cordearo Cordearo’

    my bad 4 2 comments yall

  • Escobar

    Meh, it’s justified. Proof killed his cousin; I’d have done the same thing if I were in his shoes, no matter who the insinuator was. The only reason Etheridge would get ‘clapped’ is if some foolish, narrow-minded individual were to kill him for protecting his family.

    Sadly, there are a lot of people(especially in today’s hip-hop community) who fit the “foolish, narrow-minded individual” category.

  • datsf*ucked

    lol.dats sum wack ass shit.time served and $2000 4 killin sum1.who cares if its self defense.

  • King of BK

    i would’ve shot proof ass to, especially if he killed my cousin. Proof got what was comin to his ass, all some dumb shit. Yall gon hate etheridge for defendin his family?
    If i shoot one of yall cousins, what yall gon do, sit and watch or bust back?

  • JAMP

    THiS MOH`FUCKA … BURN IN HELL PUNK …

  • http://xxlmag.com shadyslady

    good he should be to 2 death 4real instead

  • Solja

    that is dumb as fuc

  • Draz

    ain’t that some shit, you kill eminem, dre, snoop, it’ll be some shit. you kill eminem’s back up, his cd sales go up half a point and some time served.

    jesus

  • Flagrant Violator

    Ok then, If I’m a famous rapper and I decide to shoot YOUR cousin in the face right infront of you and you kill me because of it would you also like to “burn in hell” for trying to protect your blood?

    Stop being some dick riding fags…

  • minotti

    say word.. real talk i got love for rap hip-hop but if somebody killed my cousin my family im taking matters into my own hands.. and hey if i can get off on it too… shit’s gon happen. RIP Proof maby you should think before ya act. Or not. Either way hip-hops lost another soldier to the bullshit society and the hypocritical system sets in place.

    1ne

  • J. Dizzle

    I would have done the SAME thing regardless of who the agressor is. I don’t give a f*ck if it was Mother Teresa, you hurt my family, I’m instant karma.

    Proof was the man but ultimately his stupidity cost him his life.
    Any rational man who sits down and puts himself in Etheridge’s shoes will wish him no ill will. It’s the “eye for an eye regardless of the circumstances” people Etheridge is going to have to watch out for.
    He will never be able to fully enjoy being out in public again. Poor guy.

  • http://www.michaelsavage.com Frank White

    Proof pulled a gun on someone and the guys brother shot him the fuck up. I don’t care how many records you sold, if you pull a gun on one of my boys your face is turning into pasta sauce, legally. Learn the law ignorant motherfuckers It just might keep you out ta jail.

  • namus

    rip proof the illest in d12 besides em

  • Bozznii

    Thats some bullshit fo sho’. I Mean Ni99as is scared to take a asswhoopin now a days. Either packs heat or Knife. Common man, Like They say in the cube-movie Friday. Knuckle upp, You win some you loose some. But you live to fight another day. Proof R.I.P.(F)

  • diablo

    well first off i wanna say rip proof …..you gonna be missed .now …. something with this whole thing dont seem right to me ….before ya all go on saying that dude was justifyed read this article first …..http://www.xxlmag.com/?p=5074&page=2

    read this part especially well …….Bender walks around me, and walks up behind Proof and punches him in the face with his right hand. Everybody starts backing up like, “Get out the way, let them fight.” There were people up there with Bender. We were all going to fight, but this discrepancy was between these two gentlemen. All of a sudden I hear some shots coming from my right side, behind me. I look up and see it’s Mario Etheridge shooting in the air, I guess to break up the fight.

    How did you react when you heard the first shots?
    Reflex-wise, I put my hand on my gun. It’s already escalating and now muthafuckas shooting. I’m going for my pistol. Proof knew I had my pistol. Proof tackles me across the room onto the pool table. As he’s pushing me back. I’m looking at Etheridge. He’s shooting in the air. At the same time Proof’s pushing me. I’m telling him, “He’s shooting in the air, don’t sweat it.” He’s like, “Mudd, give me the gun.” I tell him, “He ain’t trying to kill us.” Proof slams me into the back of the pool table. I fall back, he pulls my pistol from my waistband. He walks across to where he was fighting with Bender and he shoots in the air, I guess answering the shots that Mario put in the air. And so with that, Bender attacks him. They’re struggling. I’m getting off the pool table because my back is fucking killing me, so I’m kind of slow reacting, getting over to the side of the room. Before I could get over there, Mario had came through and started shooting in the direction of Proof and his cousin, Keith Bender. I see them both drop. There’s smoke everywhere. Mario Etheridge leaves. I’m moving people out of the way. I see Proof lying there hit, blood everywhere. Keith Bender is lying there bleeding, blood slowly running out of his head.

    see i dont think proof shot bender ….i think that dude who just got set free … well like they say you get what you give …… if it ever comes out what really happend … well homeboy i dont think even god is gonna have mercy for you.

  • http://myspace.com/frizzodetroit Frizzo

    it sounds like this was all set up

  • spickster

    I dont care what happened i miss my man Proof. R.I.P Homie

  • emfan4lyfe

    hey rip proof and i hope that fucker that killed proof burns in hell this situation wa obviously all set up those fuckers in the club got rid of all the evidence and shit just 2 blame on shut FUCK THAT IS FUCKED UP…YOU CAN BURN IN HELL FUCKER!!!!!!!