An individual, 24 years of age from Pensacola, faced a life sentence handed down by an Escambia County circuit judge following a jury’s conviction for the crime. The jury unearthed evidence indicating that the individual had driven a rented Nissan Rogue alongside Bryant’s vehicle at the intersection of Green and Jackson streets, discharging multiple rounds into the car.
Subsequent investigations linked Teamer to the vehicle through the discovery of the Nissan’s damaged sideview mirror at the crime scene and his search history, which included queries about repairing the rental vehicle. Notably, the jury acquitted Teamer of the attempted second-degree murder charge involving Adrian Jones, who sustained a gunshot wound to the leg.
During the sentencing hearing, Teamer’s attorney, Ryan Cardoso, advocated for a lenient sentence based on his client’s minimal criminal record and cooperative demeanor since the arrest, suggesting a term shorter than life imprisonment. However, Circuit Judge Jan Shackelford disagreed with this plea and imposed a life sentence.
Debra Jackson, Bryant’s mother, delivered an emotional statement during the hearing, emphasizing the profound loss her family endured due to the tragic incident. She urged Shackelford to impose a life sentence, underscoring the irreparable void left by the absence of her son and Bryant’s children’s father.
Furthermore, it was decreed that Teamer’s life sentence would run consecutively to a federal prison term he is presently serving, stemming from a conviction by U.S. District Judge M. Casey Rodgers for illegal possession of a firearm affecting interstate and foreign commerce.
Maintaining his innocence, Teamer expressed his disagreement with the prosecutor’s case, characterized by what his defense termed as “razzle dazzle.” Cardoso argued that the prosecution’s reliance on cell phone data to establish Teamer’s presence at the crime scene did not conclusively prove his involvement in the shooting, citing reasonable doubt.
Despite the jury’s verdict, Cardoso reiterated his client’s denial of the shooting allegations, emphasizing the lack of concrete evidence linking Teamer to the crime. Teamer retains the right to appeal his sentence within a 30-day window.