Doheny sentenced in killing of brother

DETROIT/GROSSE POINTE WOODS — Through unimaginable tragedy, the Doheny family remained united as Edmond Bronner Doheny, 29, of Grosse Pointe Woods, learned his fate for what he has maintained from the start was the accidental killing of his younger brother, Dennis Doheny, last year.

Doheny and his defense attorney, Robert Ihrie, appeared for a sentencing hearing June 27 in front of 3rd Circuit Judge Kevin Cox in Detroit. Ihrie said Cox sentenced his client in accordance with his previously agreed upon Cobbs plea to three years of probation for involuntary manslaughter and two years in a Michigan Department of Corrections prison for felony firearm, with 24 days’ credit for time already served.

Doheny, 29, was accused of killing his brother, Dennis Doheny, 19, at the Grosse Pointe Woods home they shared with their maternal grandmother at around 12:43 a.m. Oct. 6, 2023, by firing a single shot that hit the younger Doheny in the head. Edmond Doheny told police he was just trying to show his brother the gun. Following the shooting, Doheny called 911 and carried his brother downstairs, and he was trying to staunch the bleeding from his brother’s wound when first responders arrived.

Ihrie said Cox “very competently” understood the nuances of this case, as did the prosecutor.

“(They) worked with me to fashion the appropriate outcome for this unfortunate tragedy,” Ihrie said.

Through all the court hearings, multiple members of the Doheny family have been on hand to show their support for Edmond Doheny.

In her victim impact statement, Elizabeth Doheny — mother of Edmond and Dennis — shared a defense of Edmond.

“I am very proud of my son,” she said. “I have watched him grow from a sweet, loving, funny child into an intelligent, witty, loyal, hardworking and selfless young man.”

When the family lost Peter Doheny — Elizabeth’s husband of more than 30 years and the father of their four boys — on Oct. 8, 2022, Elizabeth said Edmond “stepped up for me and the rest of our family. In the middle of his own anguish, he has been our rock.”

She said Edmond had voluntarily moved into his 91-year-old grandmother’s home a few years earlier so that she wouldn’t be alone, though he had been living independently for years. When he saw his youngest brother struggling to live in his family home after his father’s death, Elizabeth Doheny said Edmond suggested Dennis come live with him in the upstairs portion of their grandma’s home.

“Edmond took his baby brother under his wing and always reassured me he was keeping an eye on him,” Elizabeth Doheny said. “I know my sons were a great comfort to one another, and they loved each other deeply. Almost a year to the day of their dad’s death, this current tragedy forever changed our lives again. When speaking of Edmond after his irrevocable mistake, I can tell you that ‘remorse’ is not a strong enough word. I can see it on my son’s face and in his actions, and I hear it in his words. … I hope my much-loved son can find it in his heart to forgive himself, as myself and his loving family and friends have done. I know his baby brother, Denny, would be running to the front of the line to come to his defense and tell him how much he loves him.”

Ihrie said Doheny addressed the court as well.

“With a contrite heart, (he) apologized to his family for the heartache this whole incident has caused,” Ihrie said.

Ihrie echoed Elizabeth Doheny in his observations of Edmond Doheny.

“No court can punish him harder than he’s punishing himself,” Ihrie said of his client. “And the judge recognized that as well. He’s a very kind young man.”

At press time, it wasn’t yet known where Doheny would be serving his prison term.