Shooter faces at least 20-year sentence in gang slaying

Kim Smith

Monday, June 10, 2002 | 9:07 a.m.

A 22-year-old North Las Vegas man will receive either a 20- to 50-year sentence or a 20-year to life sentence next month after being convicted Friday in connection with a fatal gang shooting.

After deliberating eight hours, a Clark County jury found Lailoni Morrison guilty of second-degree murder with use of a deadly weapon for the March 2001 murder of Joseph "Doughboy" Williams.

Morrison is believed to be one of six men who opened fire on Williams, striking him 16 times.

Anthony "Wacky G" Gantt, 17, told jurors he, Morrison, Ashley Bennett, Louis "Chew-Wak" Matthews, 20, Jermaine"Wing" Webb, 17, and Antwan Lamong "T-Wak" Graves, 22, fired upon Williams because he was a member of a rival gang.

The charges against Matthews, Webb and Graves were eventually dismissed when another witness said she couldn't be sure they fired weapons.

Bennett, 28, was found guilty in February of first-degree murder with use of a deadly weapon. He faces two consecutive life sentences with or without the possibility of parole, or a fixed term of 50 to 100 years in prison.

Gantt faces a 10-year to life sentence plus a two to 10-year sentence that could be served concurrently or consecutively, depending upon District Judge Michael Douglas.

Although Gantt identified Matthews, Webb and Graves as shooters, Deputy District Attorney Melisa De La Garza said charges can't be refiled against the men based on Gantt's testimony.

The rules of evidence require at least two people who are accomplice witnesses to provide corroborating testimony before charges can be filed, De La Garza said.