The 2017 murder of Baton Rouge rapper Garrett Burton, alias Gee Money, drew national notice amid the inter-gang conflicts in the rap industry.
Deandre Fields, a friend of rival rapper NBA YoungBoy, has finally been charged with second-degree murder after almost three and a half years. One of the most important witnesses to Gee Money’s murder, according to a recent court document, is currently in Tigerland being tried for homicide.
In light of this development, it has been questioned if the witness’s legal issues may weaken the prosecution’s case against Fields.
Details of Gee Money’s Death
Garrett Burton, also known as Gee Money, belonged to the Top Boy Gorilla (TBG) rap crew. The 22-year-old was fatally murdered in September 2017 outside his music studio in Dallas Drive, Baton Rouge. Deandre Fields is suspected of carrying out the shooting after driving there from New Roads, Louisiana.
Fields was connected to NBA YoungBoy, the leader of Never Broke Again (NBA), a band that competed with TBG.
When Gee Money published a song that made disparaging statements about NBA YoungBoy’s sister, the conflict between these two musical gangs got started.
Gee Money died as a result of the conflict escalating and both parties trading insulting social media posts.
Court Proceedings
Due to eyewitness accounts of Deandre Fields’ involvement in the murder of Gee Money, he had been the subject of an arrest warrant for quite some time.
Fields had been questioned by police at an early stage, but he first denied any involvement. He was in Baton Rouge at the time of the murder, though, according to a warrant for his phone records. In addition, Fields replied, “To be honest, me,” when asked by investigators if he knew anyone who would assassinate someone for the NBA.
Nearly four years after the killing of Gee Money, in 2021, Fields was charged with second-degree murder.
His trial is scheduled for later this year; he has entered a not guilty plea. However, a recent development in the case has given the trial processes a new twist and a potential snag.
The Witness’s Connection to the Case
In connection with a separate homicide in Tigerland, Donavon Cortez Jefferson, a witness to Gee Money’s murder, is now being charged with second-degree murder.
One of the six witnesses present when Gee Money was assassinated was Jefferson. Concerns regarding a possible conflict of interest arose when it emerged in October 2021 through a court filing that Jefferson was charged with murder in a separate case. This was especially true given that Fields is currently being handled by the same public defender’s office that previously represented Jefferson.
A request was submitted by assistant public defender Margaret Lagattuta asking that Fields’ case be taken out of the office’s hands and represented by a different lawyer.
Impact on the Case
Fields’ case is being heard by Judge Beau Higginbotham, who granted the application to remove the public defender’s office.
As a result, Fields has a new lawyer and a different judge is in charge of Jefferson’s case. Given that Jefferson was there at the crime scene and may have been a crucial witness for the prosecution, it is still unknown how his legal issues would affect how the Fields case develops.
Hillar Moore III, the district attorney for East Baton Rouge, has not commented on this but stated that it is still an open case.
Following the finding of five firearms, ammo, and a bulletproof vest in a Florida residence where the rapper was under house arrest pending trial, a Baton Rouge court revoked Lit Yoshi’s $1.82 million bond.
According to State District Judge Tarvald Smith’s ruling, Edwards will remain behind bars until his trial even though he is charged with seven counts of attempted first-degree murder.
The accusations against Edwards stem from two shootings involving rap rivalries that took place in Baton Rouge last year, as well as a shooting involving rap in Slidell.
The FBI agent’s testimony against Edwards combined with the finding of these fresh evidence persuaded the judge to withdraw his bond and place him in custody pending the outcome of the trial.
The Takeaway
The tragic death of Gee Money brought to light the serious nature of the gang wars in the rap business.
Although Deandre Fields is charged with second-degree murder, the subsequent admission of a crucial witness’s homicide charges has cast doubt on the validity of the case.
Police are nonetheless carrying out their investigation and are particularly interested in Deandre Field’s alleged involvement in the shooting. Rap feuds can be fatal, and Gee Money’s passing serves as a reminder of the need to defuse tense situations in the future.
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