Emonte Morgan found guilty of killing CPD Officer Ella French, wounding partner in shooting
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A jury found a man guilty Tuesday evening of the murder of Chicago Police Officer Ella French during a traffic stop in Englewood in 2021.
Jurors reached a verdict just hours after beginning deliberations on Tuesday.
Prosecutors wrapped up their case earlier on Tuesday, and the defense rested without calling any witnesses before moving to closing arguments Tuesday afternoon.
Emonte Morgan, 23, was found guilty on all counts filed against him. In an 85-count indictment – including charges of murder, attempted murder, and other felonies – Morgan had been accused of shooting and killing French, injuring her partner, Carlos Yanez, and shooting at their other partner, Joshua Blas.
As the verdict was read, the mood was tense as Cook County Criminal Court Judge Ursula Walowski warned people to respond quietly to the decision or face contempt of court charges. A dozen Cook County Sheriff's deputies stood in the middle of the courtroom gallery – where families sat on either side.
Judge Walowski acknowledged it had been an "emotional time for everybody."
In the lobby of the George N. Leighton Criminal Courthouse Tuesday evening, Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx said she and the prosecutors who worked on the case were "incredibly gratified" by the jury's verdict. But she emphasized that it is "difficult to feel anything other than sadness" given what happened to officers French and Yanez.
"While this is a victory, it is very difficult to feel just – because justice would be Ella French being able to be with her family and continuing to serve the people of Cook County," said Foxx. "Justice would be Officer Yanez being able to walk with the same abilities that he had before."
"Finally, we get a little justice for Ella, Carlos, and Josh," added Chicago Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara, who spoke shortly before Foxx. "I'd like to thank the Cook County State's Attorney and assistant state's attorneys for their hard work and putting this case together and making sure that every hypothetical, made-up defense was covered, and we could move on and kind of focus on life after this now."
Chicago Lawn (8th) District Cmdr. Bryan Spreyne was a lieutenant in the crime scene suppression team where French, Yanez, and Blas worked at the time of the shooting.
It's been a very trying week for the families of these members," Spreyne said. "It's been a very trying week for the Chicago Police Department. "This is one step closer to closure and moving forward."
Meanwhile, Morgan's defense team walked by news cameras without comment following the jury's verdict. But Morgan's mother, Evalena Flores, insisted that her son was not guilty and accused police of a "cover-up."
"I do believe my son will receive justice, and I will continue to fight for my son's justice," she said.
French's family and Yanez were present for the reading of the verdict but did not speak afterward.
Prosecutors said French, Yanez, and Blas pulled over Emonte Morgan and his brother, Eric, for expired plates on their SUV near 63rd Street and Bell Avenue on Aug. 7, 2021. While Eric Morgan handed over the keys when asked, Emonte Morgan refused to put down his drink and cell phone, leading to a struggle with the three officers.
Blas testified at trial that Emonte Morgan shot and killed Officer French, shot and wounded Yanez, and tried to shoot Blas as well during the scuffle.
Several other officers responded, putting French and Yanez into squad cars to bring them to the hospital. Doctors were unable to save French. Yanez lost an eye and was left paralyzed below the waist.
During the trial, prosecutors showed video footage of the shooting from all three officers' body cameras. The jury and French's family heard her final scream on the camera footage and watched footage of the shooting from multiple angles.
French's mother also testified at the trial, telling jurors about her last conversation with her daughter on the night she died. Elizabeth French said she always talked to Ella as her daughter headed to work and ended those conversations by telling her to be safe, not knowing she'd die shortly after their call that night.
With more than a dozen uniformed police officers and French's family seated in the gallery, Cook County prosecutors and Morgan's public defender presented their closing arguments on Tuesday, following four days of testimony last week.
Morgan's family was also in the courtroom as prosecutors walked through each charge he was facing and how they believed they had proved he was guilty -- at one point taking jurors back to the scene through graphic body camera footage showing French's final moments.
Prosecutors called the crime cold-blooded murder, saying Morgan "took away every bit of life she had left to give."
As the closing arguments continued, Morgan's defense attorney focused on why officers pulled over Morgan and his brother in the first place. They said officers pulled them over for expired plates, which later turned out to be valid. Defense attorneys also claimed that during the struggle, Morgan "was trying to toss that gun when the gun starts going off."
"The only person that had the intent of shooting was Officer Blas. Emonte is not guilty," Morgan's attorney argued.
In their rebuttal argument, prosecutors asked the jury who was on trial, saying it was insulting that the defense was trying to make it seem like the officers were the defendants in this case.
After closings, jurors began their deliberations around 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
Emonte Morgan could now face life in prison. His brother, Eric Morgan, pleaded guilty last year to aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, aggravated battery with a dangerous weapon, and obstruction of justice in connection to the shooting. He was sentenced to seven years in prison.