Kendrick Simmons, Violent Crime, Florida 2012

On March 27, 2012, the United States Department of Justice filed a federal indictment against Kendrick Simmons, a 32-year-old resident of Jacksonville, Florida, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

The indictment charged Simmons with one count of murder in aid of racketeering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 185, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i).

The charges stemmed from an incident on January 20, 2012, in which Simmons allegedly shot and killed a 28-year-old man in a parking lot in Jacksonville. According to the indictment, Simmons was acting on behalf of the Bloods street gang at the time of the shooting.

The case was assigned to United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard, who oversaw the proceedings. Simmons' defense team argued that the prosecution's evidence was circumstantial and that Simmons was not guilty of the charges.

On May 15, 2014, after a week-long trial, the jury delivered a guilty verdict on both counts. Simmons was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, followed by five years of supervised release.

The case serves as a reminder of the dangers of gang violence and the importance of law enforcement efforts to combat such crimes. It also highlights the role of federal authorities in prosecuting violent crimes that involve interstate or international connections.

Source: https://pcl.uscourts.gov