Wilmington man pleads guilty to beating man to death, son still charged

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The Wilmington man accused of beating a man to death with his son’s help is going to prison.

Leonard Pocknett, Jr. 44, pleaded guilty to second degree murder in New Hanover County court on Monday.

Pocknett, Jr. will spend up to 28 years in prison for killing Gregory Gineman, 58, last summer.  The murder charge against his son, Leonard Pocknett, III, is still pending.

Shortly before midnight on May 10, 2017, Gineman was found unresponsive following a vicious assault on Myrtle Avenue. Gineman suffered multiple fractures to his face, ribs and spine.

Interview after court (Photo: Jenna Kurzyna/WWAY)

The beating was so severe that two of his teeth had to be removed from his lungs. Gineman was removed from life support 16 days later.

An eyewitness who was riding bikes with Gineman prior to the assault stated that an SUV
nearly struck Gineman while they were pedaling home. The SUV followed the two men to Myrtle Avenue after Gineman yelled at the driver.

The witness said that the driver and a passenger got out of the SUV and that he saw the driver punch Gineman multiple times.

Another witness later told detectives that Pocknett admitted to him that he had assaulted Gineman that night.

When questioned by law enforcement, Pocknett admitted to his role in the assault on Gineman, adding that his son participated, as well. Pocknett claimed that Gineman had directed racial slurs at him and attempted to hit him with his bike.

In his interview with detectives, Pocknett’s son said that his father picked him up from their home prior to the altercation and that the two followed Gineman to Myrtle Avenue in their SUV.

Pocknett, III, admitted that they both hit Gineman, even after Gineman tried to apologize for yelling at his father earlier.

In an jailhouse interview with WWAY on May 30, Pocknett, Jr. said his son was not involved.

“”I want the people to know that my son is not a monster. That my son didn’t murder that man either. That neither of us murdered him. That my son is a good boy,” Pocknett, Jr. told WWAY.

He also denied his role in the murder.

“I’m gonna get my son out of this too cause I did not do this man. I said I swear to you man I didn’t kill this man, bro. But like I said, I gotta stand strong for my children and for myself, so I can make sure that they gone be alright.”

Pocknett, III is next scheduled to appear in court on March 16.