Dojuan Nettles, 41, was sentenced to life in prison for the 2011 murder of 21-year-old Brandon Cartellone. During his sentencing hearing in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Nettles repeatedly interrupted the proceedings, declaring his innocence and displaying a large, capitalized "NOT GUILTY" message written on the back of his orange prison jumpsuit.
"The courts are just trying to silence the outcries of the family, and I'm the one who has to suffer," Nettles said to Judge David Matia, according to video footage obtained by Cleveland19. "That's not right. That's not justice. That's a miscarriage of justice. This is not due process." He added, "They know they're fabricating and falsifying; this is not justice. This has been the circus this entire proceeding, and I am not a criminal."
Judge Matia told Nettles, "You're a hard individual to have any sympathy for. It's clear that you were involved in the murder of Brandon Cartellone." The judge noted that Nettles's palm print was found on duct tape used to bind Cartellone, a detail Nettles called "fabricated."
After a warning from the judge, Nettles made another outburst and was escorted from the courtroom. As he was removed, Nettles questioned his "First Amendment right, freedom of speech," to which the judge responded, "Not in this courtroom, buddy."
Cartellone was found bound at the hands and feet in his off-campus apartment on July 26, 2011. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office determined Cartellone died of strangulation after being beaten and robbed. Police discovered cash and a hydroponic marijuana setup at the scene.
DNA evidence led to Nettles's arrest in July 2025. His co-defendant, Dionte Davis, was cleared of all charges by a jury in October. The Cleveland Institute of Art, where Cartellone was a student, released a statement expressing sadness over his death during the initial investigation.