SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) - A Georgia man has been sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole for a murder conviction in a 2016 slaying that followed a confrontation at a convenience store.
Brandon Elias fuller, 25, of Savannah, also was sentenced to five years of probation on Monday for a conviction for possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, The Savannah Morning News reported.
Chatham County Superior Court Judge Benjamin Karpf said he was imposing the sentence for what he called a “senseless and inexplicable act,” but said he was leaving to the state Board of Pardons and Paroles on any possible release “after an extended period of time.” Georgia law requires a person serving a life prison term to serve at least 30 years before he or she is eligible for parole.
A jury convicted Fuller on Dec. 11 for killing Daniel Landry, a murder that a prosecutor argued was revenge.
Landry, 29, was shot twice outside the One Stop Shop late Aug. 19, 2016, where he encountered Fuller. He died on the street nearby.
Chatham County Assistant District Attorney Lauren Purvis told jurors in closing arguments that Fuller was “mad and he felt disrespected” when he pulled a handgun from his pocket at and shot Landry as the unarmed victim backed away with his hands in the air. Fuller continued his attack as the victim fled, at one point freeing a jammed bullet from the weapon and continued his attack, she said.
Fuller then walked away, she said.
The spat involved Fuller’s involvement with Landry’s former girlfriend and mother of his daughter, evidence showed.
The shooting was captured on a surveillance camera at the store that was played for the jury.
Afterwards, Fuller “bragged” about the shooting on a Facebook page, Purvis said.
In court, Purvis urged Karpf to impose a life sentence without parole plus five years consecutive on the gun charge.. Fuller “is a dangerous person,” she said pointing out that Landry was shot multiple times with his hands in the air while Fuller “walks away and leaves him in the street like roadkill.”
Chatham County Assistant Public Defender Robert Attridge urged Karpf to impose a sentence that allowed parole.
“This was a chance encounter,” he said. “In the heat of passion, (Fuller) fired the weapon.”
Attridge also argued that Fuller, who was using a walker, had a gun with him because he had been shot in an earlier incident.
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