On a December day in 2010, the life of Jerome 'Man Man' Hampton was violently cut short in a brazen attack in New Orleans. The 25-year-old African American male was inside a vehicle with local rapper Renetta 'Magnolia Shorty' Lowe on December 20th when they were ambushed. As their car slowed for speed bumps in an apartment complex in the 6300 block of Bridgehampton Drive, assailants in a white Ford Crown Victoria opened fire.
The initial shots caused the car to crash, after which multiple gunmen surrounded the vehicle and continued to shoot, ensuring the occupants were deceased. Both Hampton and Lowe were pronounced dead at the scene, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Police later determined that Hampton was the intended target of the brutal assault.
The investigation that followed uncovered a deep-seated and violent gang rivalry. The New Orleans FBI Gang Task Force was brought in to handle the case due to its extreme brutality. It was revealed that Jerome Hampton's murder was connected to the notorious 39ers gang, a criminal organization involved in racketeering and numerous homicides. Rumors circulated that the shooting was retaliation for a past killing allegedly committed by Hampton. The roots of the conflict were said to trace back to a series of retaliatory shootings that began years earlier with the murder of another local rapper.
In August 2014, a grand jury indicted four suspected members of the 39ers gang for the deaths of Hampton and Lowe. A crucial breakthrough came when Gregory 'Rabbit' Stewart, a member of the gang, became a confidential informant for the FBI. Stewart's testimony was instrumental in the prosecution of his fellow gang members. He admitted his own involvement and detailed how he, along with McCoy 'Rat' Walker, Terrioues 'T-Red' Owney, Tyrone 'T-Bone' Knockum, and Rico 'Freaky' Jackson, carried out the shooting.
The legal proceedings that ensued were part of a larger effort to dismantle the violent 39ers gang. Terrioues Owney and McCoy Walker were ultimately found guilty on multiple charges, including murder in aid of racketeering and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Both men were sentenced to life in prison for their roles in the criminal enterprise, which included the murder of Jerome Hampton. The convictions were a significant step in addressing the gang violence that had plagued the streets of New Orleans.
