Little Rock man, 20, accepts 40 years for slaying

Testifying at murder trial part of plea

Tracy Bailey
Tracy Bailey

A 20-year-old Little Rock man has accepted a 40-year prison sentence for his role in a January 2014 attack on three men that killed one and wounded the others.

ADVERTISEMENT

More headlines

Tracy Trevor Bailey Jr. also promised to testify against his co-defendant as a condition of his plea agreement with prosecutors and swore in court that a statement he had given authorities was true.

Bailey pleaded guilty Monday before Circuit Judge Barry Sims to first-degree murder, reduced from capital murder, and to committing a terroristic act.

He will have to serve 28 years before he is eligible for parole.

Prosecutors dropped a second terroristic act count and an aggravated robbery charge in exchange for the plea. He was scheduled to stand trial Tuesday.

Deputy prosecutor Jill Kamps said that Bailey and Tracy Tivon Brown, then 17, arranged to buy drugs from Terrance Brison and Thomas Lee "T1" Gilbert, then followed the men to the Mabelvale Place apartments on Mabelvale Pike in Little Rock.

In the parking lot, Bailey and Brown got out of their vehicle and went to the other men's black Chevrolet Tahoe. Bailey opened the door of the sport utility vehicle, and he and Brown fired their guns into the car, the prosecutor said.

Gilbert, 29, a married Little Rock father of four, was shot in the head and died in the parking lot. Brison, now 34, was shot several times in the back and arm but survived, as did Brison's cousin, Rickey Hill, who was shot in the back while running from the vehicle, police said.

The gunmen fled without the drugs but with $1,000.

Brison told police there were three shooters, but only Bailey and Brown, who was a Central High School senior, were arrested.

Brown surrendered the following day after police announced detectives were looking for him. Bailey, a student at Hall High School, gave himself up two days after the killing.

Brown, who turned 20 earlier this month, is due back in court at the end of the month to have his trial scheduled. Prosecutors are seeking a life sentence for him on capital murder, terroristic act and aggravated robbery charges.

His case has been on appeal since a January 2015 hearing, when the judge rejected his request to transfer the charges, which carry a life sentence, to juvenile court. On May 11, the Arkansas Court of Appeals rejected his appeal.

At Brown's January 2015 transfer hearing, both Brison and Hill testified about being shot. Hill showed the judge a star-shaped bullet wound and testified that the projectile was still lodged in his back.

Brison showed the wounds he suffered to his left arm, shoulder and side.

Brison testified that he was in the back seat of the Tahoe when Bailey opened the rear driver's side door and opened fire. Brison told the judge that he jumped out of the SUV and hit the ground, which knocked the wind out of him.

Lying on the ground, he could see the gunmen's feet as they walked around the vehicle, he testified. He described for the judge that he heard what he assumed to be the "click clack" sounds of the assailants reloading their weapons.

Metro on 05/25/2016

Upcoming Events