In the quiet community of Jackson, Louisiana, 16-year-old Valentae Brooks, an African American male, was on the cusp of his seventeenth birthday, filled with the dreams and aspirations of a budding rapper known as 'Cowboy Tae.' On the evening of November 13, 2018, just two days before he would have celebrated another year of life, Valentae gathered with friends in a residence in Clinton.
The group was in high spirits, preparing to shoot a rap video in a makeshift recording studio set up in a bedroom.
The atmosphere of creativity and friendship took a tragic turn when a handgun was introduced into the scene. Valentae, believing the firearm to be unloaded, showed it to his friends with the intention of using it as a prop in their video. As he handed the gun to his 19-year-old friend, Dedrick Lee, the weapon discharged. A single, accidental shot struck Valentae, ending his life in an instant. The young East Feliciana High School student was rushed to a nearby medical center, but his injuries proved fatal.
In the aftermath of the tragic incident, Dedrick Lee, the son of the infamous Baton Rouge serial killer Derrick Todd Lee, was arrested on November 21, 2018. Initially, there was some confusion surrounding the circumstances of the shooting, but Lee eventually confessed to his role in the accidental death of his friend. He was subsequently charged with and convicted of negligent homicide, principal to attempted robbery, and obstruction of justice in June 2019.
Despite the convictions, the majority of Dedrick Lee's sentence was deferred. He served 60 days in the East Feliciana Parish Prison and was released in August 2019. As a condition of his release, the court mandated that he attend college and prohibited him from possessing or being near firearms. The untimely death of Valentae Brooks left his family, friends, and the entire community to grapple with the profound loss of a young life cut short by a senseless accident.
