It's life in prison for a Twin Cities man convicted of first degree murder in the killing of his girlfriend during a domestic dispute.
52-year old Johnny Leroy Brown was sentenced in Hennepin County District Court for the December 2023 killing of Kesha Moore in her south Minneapolis apartment.
The prosecution's case was bolstered by several other women who testified Brown had abused them in the past, some coming from other states to attend his trial.
Kesha Moore's relative gave a victim impact statement.
"December 17, 2023 was when my heart broke," she says. "Having your birthday twin stripped from you in such a brutal way, it pains me that her murderer is still in this world while she's the one that's gone. Sorry to the family, Kesha, and myself."
As did the defendent, Johnny Leroy Brown who tried to make the case it was self-defense.
"Y'all don't know what happened that Sunday," Brown told the court. "I do, and I know she pulled a gun on me, and I tried to retreat and I tried to get away from that. She had it in her mind to take my life and her life."
Brown will be eligible for parole after 30 years.
“My thoughts are with Kesha Moore’s family as this grueling case concludes,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a statement. “While this lengthy sentence protects our community, it does not return Kesha to her loved ones. Our office will continue fighting for survivors and victims of domestic violence to receive the resources they need to be safe, as well as prosecuting those responsible for perpetrating these crimes.”