November 2023
The month of November brought pleasant weather, great food, the State Fair, good football from a number of area teams who made the playoffs, the Calvary Cavaliers marching towards another state title and historically great football from local favorites Haughton’s Dak Prescott and LSU’s Jayden Daniels. It also brought Caddo Parish a new judge, and we welcome our new Caddo Parish Juvenile Court Judge Justin Courtney and look forward to working with him on combating juvenile crime.
The District Attorneys of our state met in Natchitoches last week to discuss issues of concern as we enter into 2024. The meeting was productive, and I thank our host, my friend Billy Joe Harrington of Natchitoches Parish.
One important issue facing all District Attorneys is the rise of juvenile crimes of violence, especially with guns. Ironically, I just saw a December 1 editorial from the editors of the Baton Rouge Morning Advocate that addressed this issue that I want to share, in part, with you, especially in light of Caddo voters’ recent rejection of the increase of funding for our juvenile court system and programs they need:
“’We raised the age to 18 (from 17 for adult court criminal prosecutions) without putting the money into the infrastructure to house them, particularly those that are violent,’ (East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney) Hillar Moore said.
“That doesn’t mean that the Raise the Age Act was misguided; there’s a lot of evidence around the country and in Louisiana that one last shot of rehabilitation for a juvenile offender can pay off. But Moore is exactly right that society has to pay the tab for making the system work, and that goes beyond updating facilities. It involves the inherently difficult nature of rehabilitation in the later teen years.
“This is the most difficult work in society. And if the tab for education and, to be blunt, moral rehabilitation of troubled teens is expensive, facilities are the easiest parts of the equation.”
Before I go into the usual crime rundown, I want to mention to you an incredible case that occurred in Caddo Juvenile Judge Natalie Howell’s truancy court on November 30, when it was revealed that a young lady who along with her sister had missed over 70 days of school in the previous school year, has now straightened out, and was named the Student of the Month at her middle school. I was told that not a dry eye was left in the court. I applaud the efforts of everyone involved — keep fighting for our children.
In November Caddo Parish court action: here are some highlights:
- On November 1, Shreveporter Tradavion Hughes was found guilty of shooting and killing another man over a firearm in 2020. Hughes was found guilty of second-degree murder in connection with the death of Eric Brownlee Jr. December 6, 2020.
Brownlee, 22, was killed at the Clark Gas Station on the corner of Jewella Avenue and Greenwood Road after a fight with Hughes and two of Hughes’ friends. Brownlee and his girlfriend stopped at the gas station after leaving a local casino. Brownlee and Hughes engaged in a friendly conversation, but then got into an argument over a firearm. The fight ended with Brownlee wounded on the ground. Hughes then stood over Brownlee and shot the victim point-blank in the face.
Hughes, 25, will return to Judge Ramona Emanuel’s court January 10, 2024, where he faces a mandatory life sentence without benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence.
Hughes was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Brittany Arvie and Fernando Grider. He was defended by Katherine Ferguson, Evan McMichael and Royal Alexander.
The case was docket No. 380133.
- On November 8, Quinton Peace was ordered to serve life in prison for his part in the December 21, 2021 slaying of Chavez Parker on Melara Avenue.
Peace, 24, was sentenced by District Judge Michael Pitman in accordance with state law, which mandates life in prison at hard labor without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence for second-degree murder.
Peace, 24, and a co-defendant, who also will stand trial for the murder December 11, were accused of shooting and killing Parker, 29, after meeting Parker at his home in the 6600 block of Melara on a pretense of smoking marijuana.
Before meeting Parker, Peace armed himself with a 9mm handgun and came up with a plan to rob the victim. Parker was shot four times in the upper body, including his head. Expert ballistics evidence showed that three of the four shots were fired from a gun in Peace’s possession when he was arrested in Fort Worth, Texas, where he fled after the murder.
Peace returned to the crime scene about 10 minutes after the slaying when he believed he had left evidence at the scene. Peace got into victim Parker’s car and drove it to the Linwood Home Apartments, driving while seated on the lap of his dead victim, whom he could not move into the passenger seat. An eyewitness testified that when Peace returned to the apartment complex he was amused and laughing. As Peace was wiping the car down in the apartment parking lot he was spotted by two Shreveport Police officers on proactive patrol. That was when Peace fled to Texas.
Assistant District Attorneys Christopher Bowman and Sam Crichton prosecuted Peace, who was defended by Michael Enright and Stephen Folk-Cruthirds.
The case was docket No. 386867.
- On November 14, Steven Oneal Coleman, 27, was found guilty as charged of aggravated second-degree battery, after he shot a woman following an argument more than two years ago.
On February 8, 2021, Coleman texted his victim asking to come over to her residence in the Cypress Landing apartments in the Martin Luther King neighborhood. Once there, Coleman and the victim talked and argued. The woman asked Coleman to leave, but as she closed and locked the door, Coleman called her a derogatory term and then fired several gunshots through the closed door. One bullet entered the woman’s back and exited her abdomen, causing extensive injuries that required hospitalization.
Coleman was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Cheyenne Wilson and Jasmine Cooper. He was defended by Casey Simpson and Harry Johnson.
Coleman will be sentenced December 18 by District Judge John D. Mosely Jr. He faces a mandatory 15-year prison term, due to a sentencing enhancement occasioned by the use of a firearm in the commission of the crime.
The case was docket No. 381874.
- A Shreveport teen convicted in connection with a shooting spree near Tinseltown theater two years ago that ended with a homicide, was sentenced for second-degree murder and numerous associated crimes.
Ja’shun Smith, 18, but 15 at the time of the September 2021 shootings, was sentenced November 28, by Caddo District Judge John D. Mosely Jr. Smith was found guilty as charged of 13 counts October 25.
Smith received a mandatory life term in prison, with the possibility of parole, for the slaying of 13-year-old Kelvontae Daigre. The other guilty verdicts were for eight counts of attempted second-degree murder and four counts of aggravated criminal property damage. For these crimes, Judge Mosely sentenced Smith to 30 years at hard labor, with the possibility of parole, for each of the eight counts of attempted second-degree murder, concurrent to each other, but consecutive to the murder sentence, and to 15 years at hard labor for the four aggravated property damage convictions, concurrent to each other but consecutive to the attempted murder sentences.
Around 10:30 p.m. September 4, 2021, Smith was driving a grey Kia Optima that had just left Tinseltown after a shooting in the theater parking lot. He headed to the Circle K at the corner of Youree Drive and East Bert Kouns Industrial Loop, where he stopped his car and waited for a white Honda Accord to come to the intersection. When that Accord stopped at the intersection, Smith exited the driver’s seat of the Optima, which was owned by his girlfriend, and began firing a rifle at the intersection. Other occupants of the Optima, who are awaiting trial for their part in the shootings, also fired shots into the intersection.
Daigre was in the back seat of the Accord; he was struck in the back and killed. The driver of that car also was injured. Three other cars in the intersection, with seven people inside, were shot up, with one other passenger being struck by a bullet. Diagonally across the intersection, WK Pierremont Medical Center also was damaged by the gunfire. Shreveport Police collected 50 spent shell casings from the Circle K parking lot.
Smith was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Courtney N. Ray, William J. Edwards and Cheyenne Y. Wilson. He was defended by Casey Simpson, Madi Crusan and Harry Johnson.
The case was docket No. 397671.
- On November 29, JaRoderick Harper was ordered to serve a 60-year prison term following his September 20 conviction for lewd acts against a 10-year-old girl early last year.
JaRoderick Harper, 32, convicted of molestation of a juvenile under age 13 September 20, was sentenced by Caddo District Judge Chris Victory to 60 years at hard labor, the first 25 years to be served without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence. His crime, committed January 16, 2022, was deemed a crime of violence by Judge Victory. Harper also must register as a sex offender for life.
Harper was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Victoria Washington and Sam Crichton. He was defended by Michael Enright and Dave Knadler.
The case was docket No. 388840.
Our Grand Jury was busy in November. It returned nine true bills in its session that ended November 16.
Five of the indictments concerned murders, attempted murders or associated felonies, three were for crimes of a sexual nature, and one was a secret indictment.
* Demarcus Antonio June Jr., 15, of Shreveport, was charged with second-degree murder in connection with the June 26, 2023 slaying of Samjarrar Amie and the attempted second-degree murder of Randy Bedford Jr. Amie, 30, and Bedford were shot in the 6800 block of Rasberry Lane in west Shreveport. The case is docket No. 396857.
* Jeffrey Jadarnyea Smith, 34, of Shreveport, was charged with second-degree murder in connection with the July 27, 2023 slaying of James Morgan. Morgan, 36, was shot in the 1900 block of Alston Street. The case is docket No. 396675.
* Kaiden Lyndell Brossett-Boone, 18, of Shreveport, was charged with the July 20, 2023 slaying of Sherman Durden, Durden, 44, was shot in the 6900 block of California Avenue. The case is docket No. 396899.
* Darreyon Marcell Thomas, 18, of Shreveport, was charged with the July 31, 2023 slaying of A’Jaylus Harris, 17, at Poland Street and Alabama Avenue, and the attempted second-degree murder of a juvenile only identified as K.W. The case is docket No. 396897.
* Quanchivas Roshun Webster, 26, of Shreveport, was charged with second-degree murder and possession of a firearm or carrying a concealed weapon by a convicted felon is connection with the May 7, 2023 slaying of Raymond Behan Jr. Behan, 44, was killed in the 700 block of Common Street. The case is docket No. 396725.
* Willie James Green, 23, of Shreveport; Anthony J. Hollis, 51, of Mooringsport; and Courtney Denon Oliver, 36, of Shreveport, all were charged with separate first-degree rapes. Due to the nature of the charges, the indictments for Green, Hollis and Oliver were filed under seal, with no further details available.
Finally, a secret indictment was returned, with no further details available.
Please have a safe holiday season. And remember the reason for the season.
At your service,
Caddo Parish District Attorney James E. Stewart Sr.