A jury delivers a guilty verdict in the first trial personally prosecuted by New Orleans District Attorney Jason Williams.
On Wednesday, the jury found Samuel Hunter Jr., 29, guilty of fatally shooting Anthony Bridges, 19, on Christmas morning 2020 in the 1700 block of Monroe Street. Hunter and his brother Danny Hunter, 34, were charged with second-degree murder in that killing.
The jury found Hunter guilty on charges of second-degree murder, possession of a gun by a felon, and obstruction of justice.
This is the first trial Williams prosecuted since becoming D.A. in January 2021. Williams ran on a progressive platform promising reform in the criminal justice system and during a time when jury trials had been suspended in Criminal District Court due to the pandemic. Jury trials in New Orleans resumed earlier this week.
Related
Related
Williams says he was eager to prosecute a trial and the Hunter case came to him as he says he “looked for a place where help was necessary. I just wanted to get in the mix,” according to The Times-Picayune | The Advocate.
Williams partnered with the newly named chief of trials Matthew Derbes, who co-chaired the Hunter prosecution. Judge Camille Buras presided over the trial.
"It was a real pleasure to try it with Matt Derbes," Williams said after the trial.
Williams also thanked the jurors for their service. "I'm really thankful for these folks who did come and stuck it out. We could not close this out without them."