A Texas teenager, Caysen Allison, was sentenced on June 23 to 10 years in prison after being convicted of criminally negligent homicide in connection to the death of fellow student, Jose “Joe” Luis Ramirez Jr. Allison, now 21, fatally stabbed Ramirez, 18, during a brawl at Belton High School on May 3, 2022.
Judge Wade Faulkner handed down the sentence after hearing testimony from school staff and Ramirez’s family members during the trial at the 478th Judicial District Court.
The Fatal Incident
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by PEOPLE, the altercation took place in a school bathroom when Ramirez allegedly punched Allison, leading to a fight between them. Allison’s defense attorney, Zachary Boyd, argued that his client acted in self-defense, claiming that he was forced into the confrontation by Ramirez and a group of friends. This argument was persuasive enough for the jury, who in April declined to convict Allison of murder or manslaughter, instead finding him guilty of criminally negligent homicide, a lesser charge.
The Trial and Verdict
Initially, Allison faced a possible sentence ranging from six months to two years in a state jail facility. However, the prosecution successfully motioned to amend the verdict to include a deadly weapon stipulation, which led to a higher potential sentence. Despite attempts by the defense to contest this motion, the judge sided with the prosecution, and Allison faced a minimum sentence of two years with a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, without the possibility of parole.
Evidence and Testimony
A video of the fatal confrontation, filmed by one of Ramirez’s friends, was shown in court during the trial. The footage captured Ramirez allegedly punching Allison, followed by Allison swinging a knife in retaliation. The video then shows Allison cornering Ramirez, at which point the other teenagers involved in the brawl fled the scene. School security cameras later recorded Ramirez leaving the bathroom and collapsing in the hallway, where he was found bleeding heavily, according to court documents.
Allison was arrested later that same day and confessed to the stabbing, according to the affidavit. He is currently in custody awaiting his prison assignment from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and will receive credit for the 74 days he spent in jail prior to posting bail.
The tragic incident has left the community in shock, and while the jury opted for a conviction on criminally negligent homicide, the case highlights the consequences of impulsive violence and the complexities surrounding self-defense claims. With his sentence, Caysen Allison will now serve 10 years in prison, while the Ramirez family continues to mourn the loss of their loved one.
