Thomas Dorris Sentenced To 17 Years For 2016 Old Town Killing

PORTLAND, OR – Thomas Dorris says that he didn't mean to kill Chester Newborn in June 2016. He only fired his gun in self-defense.

Dorris claimed that he was headed to the MAX when Newborn came out of a tent by Southwest Fourth and Davis and offered to sell him some drugs.

He also said that he paid Newborn who didn't give him any drugs. They started arguing, Dorris claimed, and when he though Newborn was reaching for a pipe, he took his hun out and fired three times.

He also wounded a woman nearby.

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Dorris ran to the nearby Chevron, put his gun down and told a worker to call 911 because there had been a shooting.

Police arrived, arrested Dorris, and charged him with murder. He was allowed to plead guilty to first-degree manslaughter and being a felon in possession of a firearm last month.

The Multnomah County District Attorney's Office pointed out that there were no witnesses who could back-up Dorris's story.

Members of Newborn's family appeared in court to speak about their loss.

In addition to 17 years in prison, once Dorris is released, he will spend three years under supervision by the state.

Photo of Dorris via Multnomah County Sheriff's Office.