As we enter into the new year, I want to express sadness and condolences to the victims of the horrendous terrorist acts in New Orleans and Las Vegas. In our grief and anger, we should also be buoyed by the videos of the New Orleans police officers running towards the terrorist to confront him, bravely risking their own lives, and killing him, quickly ending the carnage that could have been much worse.
I want to take this time to thank my Assistant District Attorneys and staff, our local law enforcement officers, our judges, court staff, the public defender’s office, witnesses and you – the citizens of Caddo Parish – who report despite inconveniences to serve on our juries. When the 2024 numbers are accumulated statewide, Caddo Parish will surely lead Louisiana again in jury trials, and I thank you all for your collaborative hard work in bringing justice in our parish.
Here are some actions of note by our ADAs and Caddo courts at the close of the year:
* A Shreveport man convicted two years ago of a felony and thus unable to possess a firearm, pleaded guilty to that crime December 19. Thomas Randolph IV, 25, had been scheduled to stand trial January 13, 2025, as part of a pilot program to increase the number of jury trials for incarcerated defendants. Instead of facing jurors, Randolph decided to plead guilty as charged to felon in possession of a firearm.He was arrested August 8 after he was stopped by police for a traffic violation, During the stop, officers found a handgun under the driver’s seat. Randolph had been convicted of simple robbery in 2022 in Caddo District Court.
When he returns to District Judge Donald E. Hathaway Jr.’s court January 9, he faces a prison term of from five up to 20 years without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence. Assistance District Attorney Christopher Bowman prosecuted Randolph. He was defended by Kammie Whatley.
The case was docket No. 403512.
* A Shreveport man who shot and killed another man at a convenience store in the Stoner Hill neighborhood was found guilty of second-degree murder December 18.
The nine-woman, three-man jury in District Judge Chris Victory’s court deliberated 2-1/2 hours before returning its unanimous guilty-as-charged verdict against Jacody Demetrius Wilson, 29.
On September 1, 2019, victim Sherman Rambo and his uncle stopped at the A-1 Stop at Youree Drive and Stoner Avenue to purchase items before going to watch a football game. A little later, Shaquille Bradford came to A-1 Stop to buy cigarettes. Mr. Rambo waited in his parked vehicle while his uncle entered the store. Defendant Wilson pulled into the parking lot in a Chevrolet Cruze. Wilson’s co-defendant Cortez Hines left the vehicle, entered the store and seeing Bradford, immediately returned to Wilson’s car to retrieve a firearm. At the same time, Rambo’s uncle left the store and got back into Rambo’s vehicle.
As Shaquille Bradford left the store, Hines fired a .40 caliber pistol nine times at Bradford, who sought cover behind the Rambo vehicle. Wilson also fired his own .40 caliber pistol six times in the direction of the Rambo vehicle trying to shoot Bradford before pulling out of the parking lot, continuing to shoot at Bradford. Wilson exited the parking lot in the Cruze, picking up Hines down the street.
Mr. Rambo was struck one time in his left back and died from his wound. Bradford was not wounded and left on foot. Police found 15 .40 caliber shell casings in the parking lot. Crime Stopper tips led to Hines’ identification as a suspect. Detectives established a connection between Hines and Wilson and discovered a tag number for the Cruze, which was registered to Wilson’s girlfriend at an address on Lancaster Drive. A search warrant on the Lancaster address resulted in discovery of the two .40 caliber pistols used in the homicide, the Cruze and the apprehension of Wilson and Hines.
Upon questioning, Wilson confessed to firing one of the pistols at Bradford and driving the Cruze at the time of the shooting. The shell casings were determined to have been fired from the pistols as well.
Hines was tried and found guilty as charged of second-degree murder in connection with this shooting in April 2023.
When Wilson returns for sentencing January 21, he faces a mandatory life term in prison at hard labor without the benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence. He also has a pending charge of attempted second-degree murder relating to the same shooting with Shaquille Bradford as the victim.
Wilson was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Kodie K. Smith and Victoria Washington. He was defended by Leslie Kelly.
The case was docket No. 395215.
* A Shreveport man who abused a tender-aged male relative for more than a year was found guilty of two counts of sexual battery by a Caddo Parish jury December 17.
Reginald L. Fisher, 61, was in a position of authority over the teen victim, who was abused between April 2022 and May 2023, and was forced to perform sex acts on Fisher while in high school.
The two-woman, four-man jury in District Judge Brady O’Callaghan’s court deliberated just over an hour before returning its guilty verdict.
The jury heard testimony from the victim, his mother and a forensic interviewer from the Gingerbread House Children’s Advocacy Center.
When he returns for sentencing at a date to be determined, Fisher faces a prison term of up to 10 years with or without hard labor on each count.
Assistant District Attorneys Courtney N. Ray and Briana C. Spivey prosecuted Fisher. He was defended by Michael Enright and Katie Miller.
The case was docket No. 396992.
* A Shreveport man barred from owning a gun due to a prior felony conviction pleaded guilty as charged December 11.
Perry Lewis, 22, scheduled to go to trial on January 13, instead pleaded guilty to felon in possession of a firearm, stemming from an August 24, with Shreveport police. Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop as Lewis rode an unregistered minibike near the intersection of Greenwood Road and Broadway Avenue. Lewis fled on the motorbike, and when that crashed he tried to flee on foot but was apprehended. In the backpack he wore, officers found an AR-style pistol. Lewis had a conviction in 2022 for illegal carrying of weapons while in possession of a controlled dangerous substance.
When Lewis returns to court February 19 following a presentencing investigation, he will be sentenced by District Judge Donald E. Hathaway Jr. Lewis faces a sentence of from five to 20 years without benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence.
Lewis was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Christopher Bowman. He was defended by Carlos Prudhomme.
The case was docket No. 403784.
* A Shreveport man with a felony record, prohibited from owning or possessing such a weapon, pleaded guilty in Caddo District Court December 5. Marquise Loyd, 30, changed his previous not guilty plea just before jury selection was set to begin in District Judge Donald E. Hathaway Jr.’s court.
On February 11, police were dispatched to a residence in the 6000 block of Tierra Drive after reports of a person armed with a firearm. Officers made contact with Loyd and searched the perimeter and the residence, where in a back bedroom they found a .22-caliber revolver. Post-Miranda, Loyd admitted the firearm was his.
Loyd’s sentencing is set for January 21.
Assistant District Attorneys Stephen Folk-Cruthirds and Ashlin Thomas prosecuted the case. Katie Ferguson and Evan McMichael defended Loyd.
The case was docket No. 400207.
* A man who intervened in a domestic dispute in February 2022 using deadly force was found guilty Wednesday, December 4.
The six-man, six-woman jury in District Judge Donald E. Hathaway Jr.’s court deliberated almost three hours before finding Archille Parrel Holmes Jr., 29, guilty as charged in the February 16, 2022 slaying of Tomel T. Henry outside a residence in the 5200 block of Mansfield Road.
That day, Henry, 30, confronted the mother of his child, who resided in the Mansfield Road residence. The argument between the former intimate partners escalated into a shoving match. Holmes, who was not involved in the dispute, shot Henry in the head, then fled with the murder weapon and eluded authorities for two months, before he was apprehended and arrested by Shreveport police.
At trial, prosecutors called 12 witnesses, five of whom testified that the lethal force used by Holmes was excessive and unnecessary. Holmes declined to speak with detectives following his arrest and did not testify at the trial. His attorneys argued that another man had fired the fatal shot and also fled the scene, an argument rejected by the jury.
Assistant District Attorneys Jason Waltman and Stephen Folk-Cruthirds prosecuted Holmes. Katherine Ferguson and Evan McMichael defended him.
The case was docket No. 388519.
*A Shreveport man who fired more than a dozen shots into his girlfriend’s former boyfriend in the parking lot of a Highland neighborhood apartment complex must serve 70 years in prison at hard labor, a Caddo District Court judge ruled.
Antonio LeCedric Ray Johnson, 39, convicted of manslaughter September 27, was sentenced by District Judge Chris Victory as a habitual offender, allowing an enhanced sentence.
Johnson killed his romantic rival, Travarrius Adams, at the Oak Meadows apartments in the 1900 block of Centenary Boulevard on May 27, 2020. Adams drove his girlfriend’s vehicle into the apartment complex, accompanied by her and her two young children, and parked next to a vehicle driven by his ex-girlfriend and in which Johnson was a front-seat passenger.
Johnson exited the vehicle armed with a 9mm handgun and fired at least 13 shots, 12 of which struck Adams.
Assistant District Attorneys Christopher Bowman and Bill Edwards prosecuted Johnson. He was defended by T-Dale Woolbert.
The case was docket No. 376991.
* A Shreveport teen believed to have participated in the killing of another teenager in November will be tried in adult court.
Rodnick DeMarquin Calhoun, 15, was arrested by Shreveport Police on November 4 in connection with a drive-by shooting that claimed the life of Anthony Vinson Jr., also 15. The shooting occurred just before 2 a.m. at the Hollywood Mini Mart store at intersection of Jewella Avenue and Peyton Street. Several spent shell casings were discovered by detectives near the bicycle Vinson was riding when he was killed. Upon questioning, Calhoun admitted to shooting and killing Vinson.
On December 2, the Caddo Parish District Attorney’s office filed a Motion to Divest the parish juvenile court of jurisdiction in this matter and to proceed with this case in Caddo District Court. Calhoun now will be tried as an adult for second-degree murder. Per an order from District Court Judge Chris Victory, Calhoun was transferred December 2, 2024 from the Caddo Parish Juvenile Detention Center to Caddo Correctional Center as he awaits trial.
This tragic case of yet another juvenile I am trying as an adult, and with another 16-year-old armed robber in the pipeline to be announced to be transferred to adult court, reminds me to share with you as we go into 2025 some wise words to digest, rendered by my longtime colleague and friend, East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore, who stated in The Advocate’s December 29, 2024 edition, regarding the increase of crime in Baton Rouge, that “Overwhelmingly, the majority of the crime that we see and the reason why we have the increase we have, is directly related to education… and the family structure and life for the young people that are committing the majority of the violence.”
Please keep our state in your prayers. Be vigilant and strong. And as I repeat from past years, parents please know where your teenagers are, who they are with, and what is in your child’s possession at all times.
At your service,
James E. Stewart, Sr.,
Caddo Parish District Attorney