A Shreveport man was sentenced to half a century in prison Tuesday, December 6, 2016, in Caddo District Court.
Ladarius Desmond Williams, 24, received the maximum sentence allowed from Caddo District Judge John D. Mosely Jr.: 50 years without benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence. Williams had faced a minimum sentence of 15 years.
Williams pleaded guilty in May to attempted first-degree murder after he tried to kill Eddie Ray George during a June 2014 robbery outside an Allendale convenience store. As George left the Fil-a-sac store in the 300 block of Pierre Avenue on June 3, 2014 and prepared to enter his vehicle, Williams attacked him from behind, striking him in the head with a pistol, demanding money. Williams chased George around the parking lot, shooting at him multiple times.
Mr. George testified about the impact the attack had on his life, and surveillance video was presented, showing the robbery and subsequent shooting.
“Mr. George became emotional while watching the brutal attack on video for the first time in court,” Caddo Parish Assistant District Attorney Holly McGinness said, adding the victim “testified that he spent almost a month in the hospital and has had years of continued medical treatment as a result of the eight gunshot wounds he suffered during the attack.”
McGinness said the victim told the court he already had forgiven Williams during the ambulance ride to the hospital.
A pre-sentencing investigation determined Williams had a significant criminal history that includes two prior felony convictions and arrests for aggravated burglary and illegal use of weapons. Williams also never expressed remorse for the attack.
McGinness conducted the sentencing hearing, while Williams was defended by Michael Enright with the Caddo Parish Public Defender’s office.