On a summer evening in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the life of Markeisha L. Johnson, a 25-year-old Black/African American mother of three, was tragically cut short. On June 10, 2017, near the intersection of North 22nd and West Locust streets, a dispute between two groups of women had just concluded. As the altercation ended, a car approached, and multiple gunshots were fired.
Markeisha was struck twice in the back, her life ending in a senseless act of violence that also injured an 18-year-old man who was simply playing basketball nearby.
The investigation into the shooting led police to 18-year-old Ladarrell Lee. It was revealed that Lee was in the vehicle from which the shots were fired. He was subsequently arrested and faced serious charges for his role in the fatal shooting. The legal proceedings brought a measure of justice for Markeisha's grieving family and a community shaken by the reckless disregard for life.
In court, Ladarrell Lee was charged with first-degree reckless homicide and first-degree recklessly endangering safety. He ultimately pleaded guilty to the homicide charge, and the charge for endangering safety was dismissed. Lee claimed he had not intended to shoot Markeisha and was unaware of the preceding fight when he got into the car. He stated that he fired the weapon because he believed someone in another car was pointing a gun at them. Taking into account his youth, a written apology to Markeisha's mother, and a relatively clean prior record, the court sentenced Lee to 30 years in prison, to be followed by 12 years of extended supervision.
