Hollywood superstar, Morgan Freeman has been blamed for the death of his granddaughter after he was accused of sexually abusing her when she was younger, a court heard.
In an emotional sentencing of Lamar Davenport, who was found guilty of killing E’Dena Hines, the convicted man’s mother made the shocking allegation against the Hollywood star.
“Morgan Freeman molested her and he caused this. He did this,” Davenport’s mum screamed as she was ushered out of court in New York.
“He’s innocent. It was an accident.’ she added.
Before and during Davenport’s trial in May last year, allegations were made that Freeman was involved in a romantic relationship with step-granddaughter Hines.
The 33-year-old had at one point texted her boyfriend Davenport to reveal she had “grandpa feelings”.
Freeman, 80, has always denied the claims.
Hines is the granddaughter of the actor’s first wife, Jeanette Adair Bradshaw.
Davenport, 33, had been convicted of manslaughter in the first degree for the fatal attack on Hines.
He stabbed her 25 times in a New York street in August 2015 as horrified witnesses looked on.
E’dena Hines, actor Morgan Freemans granddaughter, was stabbed in Harlem in New York City on August 16, 2015. She was pronounced dead at the hospital.
After being sentenced to 20 years in prison with an additional five years of post-release supervision, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr. paid tribute to Hines.
He said: “Ambitious and driven, E’Dena Hines was deeply loved by family and friends before her life was brought to a horrific and tragic end by her boyfriend, Lamar Davenport.
“I would like to thank the prosecutors in my office for securing a prison sentence commensurate with his extraordinarily violent crime, and offer my sympathies to Ms Hines’ loved ones as they continue to mourn.”
Hines mom was seen wiping away tears outside the courtroom on Thursday.
Davenport had been initially charged with murder in the second degree, but the defence argued he had been in a drug-induced psychosis during the brutal attack, brought on by his use of PCP.
As he repeatedly stabbed Hines she told him: “I love you. I always loved you. God would have wanted this.”
The couple had been living in a £600,000 apartment in New York paid for by Freeman.
The Shawshank Redemption star adopted Hines’ mother Deena Adair when he married Jeanette.
He wrote in an affidavit it was Adair and himself acting as a surrogate father who raised the young woman after he parents divorced when she was just three-years-old.
“Throughout E’Dena’s entire lifetime, my daughter Deena Adair and I were the primary sources of support for E’Dena financially, emotionally, mentally and physically,” wrote Freeman.
During the trial, Davenport’s lawyer told jurors that Hines and Freeman had a sexual relationship.
