A Jefferson Parish judge on Wednesday (Feb. 26) sentenced Anthony Morgan to spend the rest of his life in prison for opening fire on a rival on Airline Drive in Metairie, fatally wounding him as he sat in the driver’s seat of his car.
Armed with an assault-style rifle, Morgan, 42, of Metairie, fired numerous bullets at Aaron Lee on the night of April 25, 2022, while Lee waited at a traffic light at Airline and Turnbull drives. Four bullets struck Lee, including a head wound that ended the 44-year-old Metairie resident’s life in a hospital three days later.
For that, a jury found Morgan guilty as charged of second-degree murder on Dec. 5.
Click here to read about the trial.
In victim-impact testimony presented during the sentencing hearing, members of Lee’s family described him a joyful man of faith. “My dad once again won’t see me cross the stage in a cap and gown,” wrote one of his daughters, who was a high school athlete when he was murdered and is now a 19-year-old college student.
His youngest daughter noted they were somewhat estranged. “It tears me apart that my daddy left this earth thinking his youngest daughter never wanted to see him again,” she wrote.
His mother described the anger, sadness and depression she has experienced as a result of her oldest son’s death. She referred to him as her best friend. Morgan “took that away from me, and I’ll never be the same,” she wrote.
Directing his comments to Lee’s family and friends in the courtroom, Morgan expressed his sorrow for what happened, calling it “a sad situation” and insisting he was defending himself when he shot Lee. He then bemoaned his going to prison for life: “I’m sorry for what y’all going through. My family lost me, too.”
After denying post-verdict defense motions, Judge June Berry Darensburg of the 24th Judicial District Court expressed condolences for Lee’s family. She noted that Morgan initially denied involvement. Morgan then asserted self-defense.
“You continue to make excuses today,” Judge Darensburg told Morgan. “I think what you said to the family was disrespectful.”
She sentenced Morgan to mandatory life in prison without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence.
In addition to the murder count, jurors found Morgan guilty of three counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of obstruction of justice.
Judge Darensburg sentenced Morgan to 20 years for each of the firearm counts and 40 years for each of the obstruction counts – the maximum on all. She ran the sentences concurrently.
Assistant District Attorneys Kristen Landrieu and Brendan Bowen prosecuted the case.