Attorney General Marshall Announces Court of Criminal Appeals Upholds Murder Conviction in Etowah County

(Etowah, Ala.)-Attorney General Steve Marshall announced the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the capital murder conviction of Lonterry Orlando Harrison, 23, of Gadsden. Harrison was convicted in the Etowah County Circuit Court on October 24, 2022.

The evidence at trial showed that the victim, A. J. Huff, was with a group of friends when he received a text message that someone wanted to buy marijuana from him. The victim drove to the Starnes Park Apartments to complete the sale. Initially, no one was there to meet them, but soon a black Impala entered the parking lot and parked. After several minutes, the victim left the parking lot and was followed by the black Impala. When the victim's car stopped at an intersection, Harrison ran to the vehicle and shot the victim. The victim later died from gunshot wounds at a local hospital. At sentencing, Harrison admitted that he discharged a firearm into the van where the victim was seated as it was attempting to drive away, and that this resulted in the death of the victim.

Etowah County District Attorney Jody Willoughby successfully prosecuted this case and obtained a guilty verdict. Harrison was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for his capital murder conviction. Harrison sought to have his conviction reversed on appeal.

The Attorney General's Criminal Appeals Division handled the case during the appeals process, arguing for the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals to affirm Harrison's conviction. The Court did so in a decision issued Friday, August 9, 2024.

Attorney General Marshall commended Assistant Attorney General Christopher D. Howell for his successful work on this case and thanked District Attorney Jody Willoughby and his staff for their valuable assistance in obtaining the murder conviction.