In the city of Valdosta, Georgia, a life was tragically cut short on October 24, 2017. Tovara Lewis Flowers, a 39-year-old man known to some by the nickname 'Kojack,' was shot and killed in an incident that would later be described as a senseless act of violence. The shooting occurred on the 600 block of East Jane Street at Ora Lee West.
The man responsible for Flowers' death, Jean Claude Doricien, who was 31 at the time, was later arrested and charged in connection with the crime. The case against Doricien proceeded to trial in Lowndes County Superior Court. During the trial, prosecutors revealed that Flowers had been shot five times in the back with a. 38-caliber revolver.
Doricien's defense attorney argued that the shooting was an act of self-defense. The defense claimed that Doricien was in the process of buying marijuana when he was robbed by someone other than Flowers, who allegedly put a gun to his head and demanded money. According to the defense, Doricien was in fear for his life and his thoughts were with his son, leading him to open fire. He claimed to not remember how many times he shot.
The prosecution, however, painted a different picture for the jury. They argued that Doricien's account of the events was inconsistent and improbable. The assistant district attorney stated that Doricien had told police he retrieved his gun to get his money or the marijuana back, characterizing the killing as a 'senseless, cowardly killing over $25 for some weed.'
After about 20 minutes of deliberation, the Lowndes County jury returned with a guilty verdict. Jean Claude Doricien was convicted of felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and possession of marijuana. He was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years for the murder and aggravated assault charges, with an additional five consecutive years for the firearm possession charge. He also received a concurrent 12-month sentence for misdemeanor marijuana possession.
