On Easter Sunday, March 31, 2024, the life of Derrick Ford Jr., a 23-year-old Black man, was cut short by gunfire in Alexandria, Louisiana. The shooting happened around 12:45 p.m. in the 1800 block of Hill Street. Officers from the Alexandria Police Department responded to the scene and found Ford with life-threatening injuries. He was rushed to a local hospital, but he did not survive.
Later that same evening, the investigation saw a major development when 21-year-old Reginald Dwayne
Pullins turned himself in to police. Pullins, also from Alexandria, was arrested for his involvement in the homicide. He was charged with one count of second-degree murder and booked into the Rapides Parish Detention Center. A judge set his bail at $1 million.
Pullins claimed he shot Ford, a former friend, in self-defense. The shooting occurred in front of Pullins’ home and was reportedly captured by a home surveillance camera. As the case headed to court, a legal battle began over whether the defense could introduce evidence of Ford's alleged prior acts and threats. This evidence included threatening text messages sent within 72 hours of the shooting and Ford allegedly visiting Pullins’ home several times.
The case went to trial in January 2026. After a jury was selected but before testimony began, the judge ruled that the defense could present its evidence regarding Ford's prior actions. The prosecution immediately filed an emergency appeal, which led the court to declare a mistrial. The case then worked its way through the appellate system. In March 2026, an appeals court reversed the trial judge’s decision, but the defense took the matter to the Louisiana Supreme Court.
On June 25, 2026, the state’s highest court reinstated the trial judge's original ruling. The court determined that Ford’s alleged actions, which included threatening Pullins and entering his yard despite warnings, rose to the level of "an overt act, which would be admissible evidence." The justices wrote that jurors should be allowed to make their own determination of the evidence's credibility. Following the ruling, a new trial for Reginald Pullins was scheduled for August 10, 2026.
