Father’s 13-Year Pursuit of Justice Ends with Plea Deal in Son’s Death
Milwaukee, WI – A judge in Milwaukee County brought a 13-year quest for justice to a close on Thursday, accepting a plea deal for two men criminally charged for their role in the 2012 death of Corey Stingley. Robert W. Beringer and Jesse R. Cole pleaded guilty to felony murder under a deferred prosecution agreement that allows them to avoid jail time while publicly acknowledging their actions. The men restrained the 16-year-old inside a convenience store following an attempted shoplifting incident involving $12 worth of alcohol.
Dane County District Attorney ismael Ozanne, appointed to review the case in 2022, described the tragedy, stating, “What happened to Corey Stingley should have never happened. His death was unneeded,brutal and devastating,” in a letter filed with the court.
The agreement requires Cole and Beringer to each make a one-time $500 donation to a charitable institution chosen by the Stingley family in Corey’s honor. If they comply with the terms of the agreement and remain crime-free for six months, the prosecution will dismiss the case.
The resolution follows years of relentless advocacy by Craig Stingley, Corey’s father, and a re-examination of the incident by ProPublica in 2023. The three men initially defended their actions as justified, claiming they were simply detaining Stingley while waiting for police to arrive.
Both of Stingley’s parents addressed the judge during the hour-long hearing, attended by family members, community activists, and former classmates. Alicia Stingley, Corey’s mother, spoke of the pain of losing a child, stating, “Corey was my baby. A mother is not supposed to bury her child.” Remarkably, she embraced Beringer after the hearing, and the Stingleys’ surviving son, Cameron, shook both men’s hands.
The case gained renewed attention after Craig Stingley utilized an obscure Wisconsin “John Doe” statute, allowing a private citizen to petition a judge to investigate potential criminal activity when a district attorney declines to do so. This led to Ozanne’s appointment as a special prosecutor.
Ozanne’s analysis concluded that “there is no doubt Cole, Beringer and Laumann caused Corey Stingley’s death.” He determined that all three men intentionally and unlawfully restrained Stingley, emphasizing that “Simply put, Corey, a teenager, was tackled and restrained to the ground by three grown men because they suspected him of shoplifting. They killed him while piled on top of his body awaiting the police.” While acknowledging a lack of evidence suggesting Beringer or Cole knew Stingley was in medical distress, Ozanne identified Mario Laumann, who died in 2022, as the individual who “strangled Corey Stingley to death” based on surveillance footage showing his arm across Stingley’s neck as he lost consciousness.
The deferred prosecution agreement was reached after an extensive restorative justice process facilitated by the Andrew Center for Restorative justice at Marquette university Law School. This process involved face-to-face meetings between the Stingley family and both cole and Beringer, fostering dialogue and understanding. Ozanne stated the process “appears to have been healing for all involved.”
Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Laura Crivello commended the efforts of all parties in reaching a resolution, expressing hope that the case could serve as a catalyst for restorative justice and community healing. “Maybe this is the spark that makes other people see similarities in each other and not differences,” she saeid.
Craig Stingley described his 13-year struggle as having “turned into triumph.” The Stingley family released a statement affirming their support for the agreement and the restorative justice process, stating they sought “acknowledgement — of Corey’s life, his humanity, and the depth of our loss.” They believe the agreement “honors Corey’s memory and offers a model of how people can come together, even after profound harm, to seek understanding and healing.”
The death of Corey Stingley occurred the same year as the shooting of Trayvon Martin in Florida, a case that sparked the Black Lives Matter movement.However, Stingley’s death, involving a Black teenager restrained by three white men, did not receive widespread national attention.
In a joint statement,Beringer and Cole expressed sorrow that Stingley’s “time on this earth ended far too soon” and acknowledged the “profound ripple effects” of the incident.
Jonathan LaVoy, Cole’s attorney, expressed relief that the case had reached a conclusion after 13 years of investigation and review.
