Jason Cherry

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – When Tamaine Foster rapped about his propensity for robbery and murder, it wasn’t just an act, a jury decided on Tuesday, Nov. 19.

After a week-long trial in Kent County Circuit Court, Foster was found guilty of first-degree murder, armed robbery, three counts of assault and felony use of a firearm.

Foster, 28, killed Jason Cherry while robbing him of marijuana in the basement of the victim’s home at 1249 Dickinson St. SE, where Cherry was spending time with three close friends who also were shot.

Grand Rapids Police investigations revealed Foster and three compatriots invaded the home after calling Cherry to order a quarter-pound of marijuana on Dec. 29.

Four gunmen fired shots in the basement, killing Cherry and wounding the other three men. Cherry was shot three times and likely would have died from those shots, according to the medical examiner, before he was shot twice by Foster, according to police.

Robert Cherry II was at home that night and heard the shots. The father ran down to the basement to find his son’s friends screaming and wounded and his son slumped over in his chair.

“I tried to wake him up. He wouldn’t wake up,” the weeping father told the jury last week.

After hearing the verdict announced on Tuesday, Nov. 19, the father smiled and hugged his wife, Celia, and family members.

The elder Cherry said he wanted people to remember his son as a kindhearted man who never hurt anyone and in no way deserved what happened to him.

“I’m really pleased with the outcome,” Cherry said. “The jury did a good job.”

Assistant Kent County Prosecutor Blair Lachman presented the jury with evidence that included cellular phone records that showed Foster and his co-defendants were in the area and ballistics reports that connect bullets and shells from the scene of the crime to weapons possessed by Foster and his cohorts.

Related: 'I thought I was dying': Witnesses describes bloody scene the night Jason Cherry was shot to death

The jury also heard from two victims who were at the Dickinson home who placed Foster at the scene and one who said he saw Foster shoot at Cherry.

Isiah Latham was originally charged in the crime but turned state’s evidence after agreeing to a plea deal that limited his minimum sentence to 22 years instead of the mandatory life sentence faced by his co-defendant upon today's conviction.

The jury also saw videos that showed Foster and Latham pointing guns at the camera and Foster under his rap name “Tity Maine” rapping profane lyrics about robbery, gun use, drugs and murder.

Related: Rap videos show accused killer celebrating lifestyle that put him behind bars

Foster is set to be sentenced on Dec. 10 by Judge Donald Johnston. He faces mandatory life in prison without the possibility of parole.

E-mail Barton Deiters: bdeiters@mlive.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/GRPBarton or Facebook at facebook.com/bartondeiters.5