Attorney General Steve Marshall has announced the sentencing of Josephus Boone, a 32-year-old resident of Montgomery County, to life imprisonment without parole. Boone was convicted for the murder of Kelvin Cooley in an incident that occurred in 2017. The sentence was handed down by Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Brooke Reid following a jury's recommendation.
The conviction came after an eight-day trial where Boone was found guilty on multiple charges, including capital murder from shooting from a vehicle, intentional murder, and discharging a firearm into an occupied building. The crime took place on October 23, 2017, when Boone shot Cooley at the intersection of Lawrence and Scott Streets in Montgomery. Cooley had just left the courthouse after testifying as a witness in a case involving Boone's brother.
During the trial, evidence showed that Boone fired 17 shots from his vehicle at Cooley. Two bullets hit the First Baptist Church nearby, with one penetrating through several parts of the building while it was occupied by staff members. The jury voted 11-1 for life imprisonment without parole during the sentencing phase.
"Justice was served today," stated Attorney General Marshall. "Josephus Boone murdered Kelvin Cooley in broad daylight, endangering numerous citizens in downtown Montgomery while attempting to intimidate and undermine our very system of justice. His violent disregard for life extended beyond his intended victim, as he recklessly fired into the historic First Baptist Church, placing even more lives at risk."
Marshall praised the efforts of his office's Criminal Trials Division and acknowledged Assistant Attorneys General Damon Lewis, Kenneth Gibbs, and Chenelle Smith for their roles in prosecuting the case. He also commended Special Agents from his Investigations Division and personnel from the Attorney General’s Office of Victim Assistance and Montgomery Police Department for their contributions to securing this conviction.
Boone is scheduled to be sentenced later on additional non-capital charges related to this case.