A Hillsborough County jury of their peers found guilty on Wednesday on charges of first-degree murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and firing a gun into an occupied vehicle. The defendants included Andrew Thompson, 26, James Denson, 28, Jaylin Bedward, 26, Quandarious Hammond, 32, and Zvante Sampson, 34.Gunfire erupted that day, killing 4-year-old Suni Bell and endangering her mother and uncle, who were also in the car.
In a news statement, Suzy Lopez, the state attorney for the 13th Judicial Circuit, stated that Suni Bell should have been in third grade at the time, laughing, learning, and enjoying herself. Her joyful dancing, infectious church songs, and beloved LOL dolls brightened every place she entered. As a daughter, she loved her parents, and as an older sister, she was a guardian.
Hillsborough Avenue in Tampa was the route that Suni and her family took on August 22, 2021. Gas station video footage revealed three more automobiles chasing the female who was in the backseat of the silver Infiniti. After the three of them caught up, Suni's family was the target of hundreds of gunshots; one of those bullets fatally wounded the young girl.
The Tampa Bay Times reports that many establishments along the road also showed their CCTV footage to the jurors. The recordings showed the barrage of gunfire, complete with the deafening crack of bullets and the blinding light of other vehicles' windows. At the murder scene, investigators found around forty shell casings.
While all five defendants were on trial, the state said that only Denson, Thompson, and Hammond really discharged their firearms; Sampson and Bedward, on the other hand, were just operating two of the automobiles that were involved in the pursuit.
John Terry, an assistant state's attorney, contended that the five were engaging in what amounted to a "hunt" with the express purpose of murdering anyone in the Infiniti they were pursuing.
Reportedly, Terry informed the jury, "They knew exactly what they were doing," as stated in a courtroom account by the Times. "They were targeting whoever was in that car, and sadly it happened to be Suni Bell."
The defense did not present a single witness throughout the two-week trial; nonetheless, they said that it was impossible to determine who fired the shot that killed the girl. Fox affiliate WTVT in Tampa and CBS affiliate WTSP in St. Petersburg reported from the courtroom that one of the defendant's lawyers pleaded with the jury to reject a verdict of "guilty by association" by bringing up the possibility of it.
While arguing that the prosecution has blanketed the courtroom with the term "they," defense attorney Daniel Fischetti questioned why, given the circumstances of the case.
There was an alternative line of reasoning that the state might present.
"There is no law which indicates you don't have enough defendants," Assistant State Attorney Anna Ismer said. "The number of shooters was excessive. The scene was replete with ballistic evidence. If you had too many people helping you commit a murder, you would never get away with it.
In the end, the jury found in favor of the state.
"Nothing can erase this tragedy, but today's verdict ensures that those responsible for this senseless murder will be held accountable," Lopez said in a statement. "We are humbled to stand with the family in our pursuit for justice for Suni."
Life sentences without the possibility of parole are required for all defendants. October 27 is the scheduled sentencing date.