On a summer evening in New Orleans, Leroy 'Leeky' Benn Jr., a 43-year-old male, was on the front porch of his home in the Algiers community on July 18, 2018, when gunfire erupted. Benn Jr. was shot multiple times and later succumbed to his injuries at University Medical Center. His son, Leroy Benn III, was also struck by gunfire but survived with non-lethal injuries.
The investigation into the shooting led to the identification of three suspects: Michael Robinson, Denzel West, and Kirk
Powell. According to the New Orleans Police Department, Robinson and West were the individuals who shot and killed Leroy Benn Jr. The motive and the specific events leading up to the shooting were part of a complex investigation that also connected the suspects to other violent crimes.
In a significant legal outcome, the Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office secured a conviction against Michael Robinson for the second-degree murder of Leroy Benn Jr. Robinson was also found guilty of the murders of two other individuals, Gavonte Lampkin and Shantrell Parker, which occurred days after Benn Jr.'s death. In addition to the murder conviction, Robinson was found guilty of aggravated battery in the shooting of Leroy Benn III, conspiracy to commit second-degree murder, and multiple counts of obstruction of justice.
Denzel West and Kirk Powell were also convicted for their roles in the events surrounding the murders. Both were found guilty of multiple counts of obstruction of justice and conspiracy to obstruct justice. Powell also faced a conviction for conspiracy to commit second-degree murder. The trial, presided over by Judge Rhonda Goode-Douglas, concluded with the jury returning a unanimous verdict on May 27, 2022. While the convictions were affirmed on appeal, the case was remanded for re-sentencing due to sentencing errors.
