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Man sentenced to two life sentences for attempted murder of two Hampton police officers

At the conclusion of a three-day trial, jurors handed down two life sentences plus 163 years behind bars for Leonard Morrison.

HAMPTON, Va. — The man accused of attempting to kill two Hampton police officers learned his fate Wednesday.

At the conclusion of a three-day trial, jurors handed down two life sentences plus 163 years behind bars for Leonard Morrison.

Jurors found Morrison guilty of 18 out of the 20 counts, including attempted capital murder of a police officer, kidnapping and robbery of a GameStop in Hampton on June 12, 2017.

This was part of a larger crime spree in 2017 that spanned Virginia Beach, Hampton and Chesapeake.

In May 2018, a Virginia Beach jury found Morrison guilty of first-degree murder in the deaths of two men. 

Prosecutors said Morrison and his accomplice, James Gregory, killed 28-year old John Rathjen and 23-year old Rayvon Miles in a home off Lynnhaven Parkway on June 10, 2017.

The Hampton trial for the GameStop robbery included testimony from 12 people, including witnesses, forensics experts and police officers.

Prosecutors presented surveillance video from the GameStop, police body camera footage and photos of the crime scene.

“I’m happy for the victims and the city because the charges were very serious, and it doesn’t get any worse than shooting a police officer,” said Hampton Commonwealth’s Attorney Anton Bell.

During closing arguments, Morrison’s defense attorneys Stuart Saunders and James Phillips Jr. told jurors that the evidence doesn’t prove Morrison is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Instead, they argued Morrison walked into a robbery in progress and that there was no evidence proving Morrison knew his alleged accomplice James Gregory. The defense team said Gregory had the gun and Morrison was simply complying, adding Morrison fled from police because he was scared for his life.  

“Well just thinking about our client Mr. Morrison has professed his innocence this entire trial,” said Phillips. “Obviously we are upset for him, and he is quite devastated at the moment but also we respect the verdict of the jury.”

Morrison’s defense team said the fight is not over and they are weighing all options in regards to an appeal.

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