State v. Johnson

BROWN, Chief Judge.

| ]Arguments between two local rap artists escalated into the death of 26-year-old Kiran Pierson and the second degree murder indictment of 27-year-old Brian Johnson. Claiming justification/self-defense, Johnson waived a jury and elected to have a bench trial. After considering the evidence, the judge found Johnson guilty of manslaughter, a lesser and responsive crime, and thereafter sentenced Johnson to 20 years at hard labor, the minimum term required by the Firearm Enhancement Statute, La. C. Cr. P. art. 893.3 E(l)(a). A timely motion for reconsideration of sentence was…