Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office secures guilty verdict in 2022 murder case

Posted on 2/6/2024

Defendant: Dwayne Cummings

A jury today found Columbus resident Dwayne Cummings guilty of one count of murder in the death of Gregory Coleman, Jr. in September of 2022. Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Judge Chris Brown presided over the trial, and immediately sentenced Cummings to a life sentence with the possibility of parole in 15 years. Jason Manning and Kevin Bertelsen prosecuted the case for the Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

On the morning of Sept. 5, 2022, Cummings, 40, sucker punched Coleman in front of a bar in Columbus’ Short North neighborhood. Surveillance video captured Cummings punching Coleman in the face; Cummings then fell backwards and struck his head on the street. Cummings and a suspect continued to assault Coleman as he lay motionless on the street before fleeing the scene.

“The hard work beginning with the Columbus Division of Police and continuing with the prosecutors ensured Gregory Coleman’s murderer will be held accountable for this crime,” said Anthony Pierson, deputy chief counsel for the prosecutor’s office. “Because of a senseless violent attack, a daughter no longer has the ability to hug, talk to or laugh with her dad. We hope the family finds some level of relief in this verdict.”