Good news for Christopher ‘Hurricane Chris’ Dooley. The 34-year-old rapper was found not guilty of fatally shooting 32-year-old Danzeria Farris Jr in 2020.
A Shreveport jury returned a not guilty verdict for second-degree murder late Tuesday night.
Self-Defense Claims
Hurricane Chris’ attorney, Alex Washington, tapped into a Black classic film, ‘Friday,’ and used the character Deebo to double down on Chris’ self-defense claims, which some credit as the reason the verdict swayed in his favor.
In opening statements for Christopher Dooley aka “Hurricane Chris” murder trial the Defense attorney described the deceased as “Debo” a popular character from the movie Friday, while showing a picture of the character. @KSLA
— Alexandria Savage KSLA (@APsavageNews) March 8, 2023
Three 911 calls were played for jurors today. One witness in the calls says the deceased Danzeria Farris Jr. took his last breath at the Texaco on Hollywood Avenue. While listening to the calls from witnesses to 911 a woman left the courtroom in tears. @KSLA
— Alexandria Savage KSLA (@APsavageNews) March 8, 2023
Hurricane Chris Releases Statement
In an exclusive statement to The Shade Room, the ‘Halle Berry’ rapper stated he was very thankful for the support of his family.
“Tonight, I was found not guilty of second degree murder and illegal possession of stolen things, he stated.
I wanna thank God, my attorneys at the Washington & Wells Law Firm, and my family for standing with me as my life was on the line. They wanted to give me life if I was found guilty. Now I can hug my son and think about raising him to be a man, he expressed.”
Continuing to speak on his experience:
“This situation drained me and affected my health greatly. God I give u all the glory. I got my life back and words can’t explain how I feel. Thanks to everyone who wished me well.”
June 2020 Fatal Shooting
If you recall, a local Louisiana man was shot and killed in the early morning hours in Shreveport. The shooting reportedly occurred around 1 AM at a Texaco gas station in the 2600 block of Hollywood Avenue.The rapper told authorities that he shot the deceased in self-defense after struggling over his car. Officers dismissed his claims after security footage was obtained from the gas station and showed otherwise.
The ‘A Bay Bay’ rapper also faced a charge of one count of illegally possessing stolen things. The car he was driving at the time of the murder was reported stolen in Texas.
Hurricane Chris’ Attorney Reacts To Not Guilty Verdict
Dooley’s attorney, Alex Washington of the Washington & Wells Law Firm, issued the following statement in reaction to the not guilty verdict:
“The verdict of not guilty further confirms our initial stance that Chris should have never been charged and that a thorough investigation to confirm his statements was not completed by law enforcement. The evidence the officers used to make Chris’ arrest was not sufficient, and they did not make efforts to locate witnesses to verify his truthful statements. The people of this community and country must demand more evidence in trial. The jury in Chris’ case has now sent a very powerful message that you must prove a case beyond a reasonable doubt, no matter who is being accused.
Furthermore, on a daily basis the government is attempting to take or limit our rights in this country. The Second Amendment Right to Bear Arms is one of the most important American rights. People have a right to defend themselves in public places, and in this case, Chris acted in self-defense. Instead of Hurricane Chris, it could be your child, your parents, or your grandparents in the same situation. The jury confirmed they agreed by reaching a verdict of not guilty. It is time to start the review of our justice system because it is simply too subjective. Luckily, we picked a strong jury. Chris’ name can now be cleared from all allegations and charges concerning him.”