Jury Deadlocked in NOLA Murder Scam Trial
A jury has returned a mixed verdict in the New Orleans staged accident scam murder trial, resulting in a hung jury for the most serious charges against Sean Alfortish and Leon “Chunky” Parker. The four-week trial in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana ended Thursday with a partial conviction for Alfortish on fraud and obstruction charges, but the panel could not reach a decision on the murder of Cornelius Garrison. Judge Wendy Vitter declared a mistrial on the murder counts following the deadlock.
The panel deliberated for more than 30 hours over five days, only asking its first question during the final stretch of discussions. That query involved a map of the city, a detail the jury used to try and pinpoint the location of the shooting. Despite extensive testimony from Ryan Harris, who pleaded guilty to his own role in the plot and implicated Parker in the shooting, the jury could not agree on the conviction needed to send Alfortish and Parker to prison for the death.
Related: Samsara Q2 Revenue Surges 30% on Transport, Mexico
Parker already faces a 60-year sentence for prior convictions involving mail fraud and conspiracy. The prosecution argued that Garrison, who had pleaded guilty to staging accidents and agreed to cooperate, was targeted after his cooperation became a threat to the operation. The jury’s inability to agree on the murder charge means both defendants will remain in custody while the government decides on the next steps.
Convictions on fraud and obstruction
While the murder case stalled, Sean Alfortish was convicted on multiple fraud and obstruction counts. The charges against him included efforts to get Garrison out of the country to avoid prosecution and allegations that he tried to suborn perjury by getting a fellow jail inmate to lie on his behalf. Alfortish, a disbarred attorney, was acquitted on two similar obstruction counts.
Alfortish’s former partner, Vanessa Motta, and Jason Giles were convicted in March on charges related to the scam. They await sentencing. Testimony in the recent trial suggested Motta was aware of a potential plot against Garrison, though she was not charged with the murder itself. The U.S. Attorney’s office described the trial as a significant effort, noting that five assistant U.S. attorneys and a phalanx of FBI agents were involved in the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Payne immediately requested a hearing to attempt a new deal to retry the murder charges.
Related: Oakland port sees stable July despite import dip
Legal experts might expect the government to pursue a retrial for the murder charges, relying on the same evidence presented during the five-day deliberation period. However, the strategy carries risks, as the previous jury spent a considerable amount of time weighing the testimony of Ryan Harris, the government’s key witness. If a second jury reaches the same deadlock, the prosecution could be forced to drop the murder charges entirely, leaving Garrison’s death officially unsolved.
Operation Sideswipe continues
The convictions and mistrial are the latest developments in Operation Sideswipe, a crackdown on staged accidents that began with more than 50 indictments. Danny Keating, a ringleader who pleaded guilty in June 2021, is scheduled to be sentenced on October 8. Damian Lebeaud, who pleaded guilty in August 2020, awaits sentencing on December 3. Earlier sentences in the case have ranged from home confinement to four years, depending on the level of involvement.
