TACOMA, WA – On Thursday Alexander Kitt, 24, Jermohnn Gore, 17, and Clifford Krentkowski, 18, were convicted of first degree murder in the death of 19 year old Brandon Morris.
“This was a challenging trial and another success for our gang unit,” said Prosecutor mark Lindquist.
The trial was plagued by threats and pictures and video of witnesses turning up on Facebook.
The judge in the case eventually ordered extra security outside the courtroom and some cell phones were confiscated.
On the afternoon of May 1, 2015, the defendants were riding in a car in the area of South 45th Street and South Puget Sound Avenue. They spotted suspected rivals standing next to a convenience store. The defendants began shooting from the car as the driver turned down an alley. Morris was shot once in the head while standing with four friends outside of an apartment building adjacent to the alley. Morris and his friends were not in a gang, and detectives believe they were not the intended targets.
Prosecutors say Gore fired the fatal shot but that Kitt also fired shots. Krentkowski was holding an assault rifle but did not fire.
Along with the first degree murder the trio was also convicted of four counts of first degree assault and Kitt and Gore were convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm. Gore was also convicted of intimidating a witness.
Sentencing is set for September 9th.
For more information, please contact James Lynch at (253) 798-6265, [email protected].