Crime & Safety
Atlanta Man Gets 25 Years For Role In Murder of Local Pastor’s Brother
Atlanta Bishop Wiley Jackson asked the court for mercy and rehabilitation of the 18-year-old defendant given his age.
Jurors returned a guilty verdict on Wednesday against 18-year-old Demetrius Morgan on charges of gang activity, armed robbery (two counts), aggravated assault, false imprisonment (two counts), burglary and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony for his participation in events which led to the shooting death of 47-year-old Jerrick Jackson.
Jackson, who was gunned down on May 7, 2013 inside his Lowe Street home in Atlanta, is the brother of prominent Atlanta Bishop Wiley Jackson.
Upon conviction, Morgan could have been sentenced to life. However, Bishop Jackson asked the court for mercy and rehabilitation of the defendant given his age.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Ural Glanville sentenced Morgan, who escaped a murder conviction, to 20 years without parole and five years consecutively for his role in the high-profile home invasion.
Fulton County District Attorney Paul L. Howard, Jr. announces a conviction by jury trial in the case against an Atlanta man.
On the date of the crime, as Jackson and his fiancée, Kimberly Little, exited their car, gunmen forced them inside the home. After Jackson attempted to stop the men from entering an upstairs room where his fiancée’s daughter was located, Jackson was subsequently shot multiple times by the assailants.
The suspects fled the scene, taking ATM and credit cards as well as blank checks from both victims. Jackson died the same evening as a result of the shooting. Morgan was arrested along with Montravious Bradely, Geno Lewis, Felton Lovejoy, and Alejandro Pitts months after the murder.
In addition to the charges for which Morgan was convicted, he, along with his co-defendants, was also charged with murder and felony murder. Jurors returned a not guilty on these charges because Morgan’s participation was limited to driving the get-away car—although they believed Morgan was aware of his co-defendants’ intent to rob prior to and actions during the crime.
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Morgan’s co-defendant, Pitts, bypassed trial, and pled guilty to gang activity, voluntary manslaughter, and armed robbery charges. Pitts will be sentenced to 30 years to serve 25 years behind bars after he testifies truthfully against the other remaining co-defendants who will be tried separately.
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