Darrell Montrell Pollard, a 28-year-old male, was killed in a brazen shooting in New Orleans, Louisiana, on the night of June 15, 2017. The incident, which unfolded at the intersection of South Carrollton Avenue and Earhart Boulevard, was not a random act of violence but rather a targeted attack rooted in an ongoing and violent feud between two street gangs. Pollard, along with Terran Young, were both members of the Byrd Gang and were fatally wounded in what was described as a triple shooting.
A third individual, Johan White, was also wounded in the assault but survived. The brazen nature of the attack, marked by the use of multiple firearms including a 9-millimeter and a. 40-caliber handgun, signaled an escalation in the hostilities between the Byrd Gang and their rivals, the Ghost Gang.
The investigation into the double homicide was spearheaded by Detective Leonard Bendy of the New Orleans Police Department's Homicide Division. Even before the events of June 15, Detective Bendy had been deeply involved in investigating a series of homicides linked to the bitter conflict between the two gangs. The crime scene at Carrollton and Earhart yielded numerous shell casings and a Glock 27 pistol. Investigators also discovered a secondary scene on North Johnson Street where a burned-out vehicle, believed to have been used by the assailants, was found. This discovery pointed to a calculated effort by the perpetrators to destroy evidence and cover their tracks.
The trail of evidence and intelligence gathered by law enforcement ultimately led to the identification of a primary suspect: Dwight Washington. Investigators pieced together a compelling circumstantial case against him. Surveillance footage from the crime scene captured a vehicle matching the description of the burned-out car, with an individual of Washington's build exiting the vehicle armed with an assault-style rifle. Cell phone records placed phones associated with Washington in the vicinity of the shooting and later near the location where the getaway car was torched. Further investigation into Washington's social media presence and rap lyrics uncovered ties to the Ghost Gang and references to the shooting, solidifying the motive of retaliatory gang violence. A distinctive tattoo on Washington's face commemorated the date of a previous homicide of a Ghost Gang member, further underscoring his connection to the ongoing feud.
In July 2018, an Orleans Parish Grand Jury returned an indictment charging Dwight Washington with two counts of second-degree murder for the deaths of Darrell Pollard and Terran Young, two counts of attempted second-degree murder for the injuries sustained by Johan White and for firing upon Bruce Pollard, Darrell's cousin who was also in the vehicle, and one count of obstruction of justice. Washington's trial commenced in February 2020, and after several days of testimony, the jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts. However, the verdict was not unanimous, with a vote of 11-1. Following his conviction, Washington was sentenced to life in prison. In a significant turn of events, his conviction was later overturned on appeal. The appellate court vacated the conviction and sentences, remanding the case for further proceedings. This decision was based on the landmark Supreme Court ruling in *Ramos v. Louisiana*, which declared non-unanimous jury verdicts in state felony cases unconstitutional.
