On January 31, 2019, a St. James Parish Jury found 37-year-old Burnell Gordon of 2445 N Central St. Lutcher, LA., guilty of Manslaughter and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon in connection with the shooting death of 19-year-old Darrell Johnson of St. James Parish. Gordon was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Adam Koenig and Steven Tureau. Presiding over this matter was the Honorable Judge Tess Stromberg.
During the early morning hours of June 15, 2016, St. James Parish Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a residence on Courseault St. in Lutcher following reports of a shooting. A 911 call came in and the caller advised that Burnell Gordon just shot her nephew. Upon the arrival of deputies, the victim, 19-year-old Darrell Johnson had been transported to an area hospital after sustaining a single gunshot wound to the stomach area. Detectives processed the scene and additional detectives traveled to the hospital. Johnson succumbed to his injuries a short while after. Detectives conducted multiple interviews and learned that Johnson who had been at his aunt’s residence throughout the previous day, was shot near the door of the residence in an ambush style attack. After being shot, Johnson made three dying declarations to three different individuals including medical staff that Burnell Gordon shot him. Detectives obtained a warrant for the arrest of Gordon, who subsequently turned himself in to detectives. Based on the evidence collected and the dying declarations made by Johnson, Burnell Gordon was booked into the St. James Parish Detention center on the charges of 2nd Degree Murder and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Gordon has two prior felony convictions for narcotics related charges.
Upon the jury rendering a verdict in this matter, sentencing was deferred to a later date pending a Pre-Sentence Investigation.
On April 29, 2019, Gordon appeared before Judge Stromberg for sentencing. Gordon was sentenced to a total of 30 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served.
On August 15, 2019, prosecutors filed a habitual offender bill in this matter alleging that Gordon was a third time felony offender. In court proceedings, Gordon did not contest that he was in fact a third time felony offender.
On January 27, 2020, Gordon appeared before Judge Stromberg for sentencing in connection with the habitual offender bill. Judge Stromberg re-sentenced Gordon to 45 years at hard labor with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served.