Man guilty in 2008 shootings
GONZALES — An Ascension Parish jury convicted a man on two counts of attempted manslaughter for a 2008 Donaldsonville shooting in which stray bullets struck a 5-year-old riding a bicycle and a second victim, prosecutors said this week.
Larry Miles, 23, 929 Elizabeth St., Donaldsonville, did not fire the assault rifle that sprayed bullets that hit the boy and a 22-year-old man in their legs, prosecutors alleged. The shooting occurred on St. Vincent Street in an area called “back of town.”
But prosecutors argued that Miles started a fight and brought associates, one of who pointed a rifle at the man who then fired the gun in response, wounding the boy and the man.
Miles “caused the mayhem that caused all the bullets to fly, so the jury held him responsible,” Assistant District Attorney Chuck Long said. “That is exactly what happened.”
The 12 jurors were unanimous Wednesday in their verdict after a one-day trial before Judge Thomas Kliebert Jr. of the 23rd Judicial District, prosecutors said in a news release. The 23rd Judicial District encompasses Ascension, Assumption and St. James parishes.
Kliebert set sentencing of Miles for Aug. 27 in Gonzales, prosecutors said.
Shedrick Mumphrey, 25, of Donaldsonville, who fired the gun that wounded the boy and the man, testified against Miles during the trial at the Ascension Parish Courthouse Annex in Gonzales, court minutes show.
Mumphrey’s attorney, Gerard Torry, said Friday his client claimed self-defense.
Mumphrey had been arrested the day of the shooting, March 22, 2008, and charged with the attempted second-degree murder of Miles, the boy and the other bystander, court filings show.
Long said prosecutors agreed to drop the charges against Mumphrey stemming from the shooting in exchange for his testimony in Miles’ trial.
Mumphrey is serving seven years in prison for convictions on two drug distribution counts from 2011, minutes show.
Long said one of the men with Miles pointed a gun at Mumphrey’s face and made death threats before Mumphrey fled to his car to get the gun that fired the shots that hit the boy and the other victim. Long said Miles had a past dispute with Mumphrey.
Torry added that Mumphrey testified Wednesday he heard a shot as fled to his car.
“He had been in Donaldsonville in the area getting music put in his car, and these guys confronted him,” Torry said.
“Basically that started this whole altercation.”
Miles separately faces prosecution on counts of attempted second-degree murder and aggravated assault in a July 3, 2011, shooting that wounded two people near a McDonald’s restaurant in Donaldsonville.
His attorneys did not return messages for comment Friday.