19-year-old sentenced to five and a half years for north Spokane shooting

A 19-year-old man who in May shot at two women standing near a North Jefferson Street home was sentenced to nearly 51/2 years in prison Friday.

“I know that I’m in this situation because I didn’t put my top priorities first,” said Duane G. Delaney, clad in yellow Spokane County Jail clothing.

According to court documents, Delaney may have been targeting one of the women, Jaliauna Templeton, who accidentally shot and killed 18-year-old Daunte Frazier at a party at the 2011 N. Jefferson St. home in December 2020. Frazier belonged to Delaney’s gang, and it’s believed they may have been cousins, too, court records said.

Surveillance footage from a nearby home showed a black Dodge Charger on May 14 pulling into an intersection at West Knox Avenue and North Jefferson Street, according to court records. A man is seen exiting the driver’s side and jogging to a Northwest Boulevard parking lot across the street from the residence at 2011 N. Jefferson St. The footage then showed the man firing several rounds, backing away, running back to the Dodge and driving away, according to documents.

No one was injured.

Templeton and Ashlynn Tibbetts were standing near the Captiva that had been struck by two bullets, according to documents. The pair had to duck to avoid being shot, records said.

Templeton told police she believed the shooting was directed toward her because she killed Frazier. A judge in August sentenced Templeton, 20 at the time, to five years in prison for the shooting.

She said she believed the person who fired at her during the drive-by shooting was Delaney after she saw a still photograph pulled from a security video, documents said.

Delaney pleaded guilty Sept. 23 to two counts of second-degree assault, including one with a deadly weapon, and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm as part of a plea agreement. Delaney has two felony convictions, so he is not allowed to have a gun.

On Friday, Spokane County Superior Court Judge Michael Price handed down the 65-month sentence. Delaney will serve 11/2 years of community custody, or probation, when he is released from prison.

The prosecution and defense recommended the sentence Price imposed.

Delaney told Price that he is expecting his son to be born soon, and that he will miss his baby’s first steps and other milestones while incarcerated.

He said he has dreams of becoming a real estate agent and wants to be the best role model for his unborn son.

Delaney’s attorney, Brooke Foley, read a letter on behalf of Delaney’s mother, who wished to not be identified and was not present in court Friday.

Delaney’s mother wrote that her son was raised religiously but around the age of 13 started to seek validation. She said she raised him as a single parent, and Delaney did not have a positive male role model.

“I honestly feel like I have failed him somehow,” she wrote.

She asked Price to consider Delaney’s rough upbringing, his youthfulness and that he has a baby on the way who Delaney wants to raise right.

Price called Delaney articulate, bright and caring.

“What happened here is absolutely very contrary to that, but I have hope for you,” said Price, adding that he believed Delaney will be a “big success.”