Suspect in killing of Jakell Mitchell has criminal past

AUBURN -- Markale Hart, the suspect in the murder of Auburn freshman football player Jakell Mitchell, has a criminal history, including multiple felony charges he later pleaded down to misdemeanors, according to court records.

In Sept. 2010, Hart, then 18, was arrested in Tallapoosa County on charges of first-degree burglary and property theft in the 1st degree, both felonies.

After losing a motion to be considered a youthful offender, Hart pleaded guilty in 2012 to second-degree burglary, and was sentenced to six years in prison. According to court records, Hart was ordered to serve six months and placed on three years' probation. The remainder of the prison sentence was suspended.

While his burglary case was pending, Hart was arrested on a charge of possession of marijuana in the first-degree, a felony, in Dec. 2011. Hart pleaded guilty the following year to possession of marijuana in the second-degree, a misdemeanor, and was given a suspended year-long sentence and two years' probation. Hart was also ordered into a court referral program.

Markale Hart criminal history:

• Burglary and theft charges in Tallapoosa County in Sept. 2010. Pleaded guilty in May 2010 to a charge of burglary in the second-degree; ordered to serve six months of a six-year sentence and given three years' probation.
• Possession of marijuana in the first degree, a felony, and possession of drug paraphernalia in Dec. 2011. Pleaded guilty the following year to a charge of possession of marijuana in the second degree, a misdemeanor; given a suspended sentence, two years probation and ordered into a court-referral program

Source: Alacourt