Crystal Stevenson

A man whose 50-year prison terms were vacated by the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal early last year, has been reconvicted on eight counts of attempted first-degree murder.

El Jerico Jermiah Bartie was originally convicted by bench trial in 2018 for shooting at eight officers during a July 2014 standoff at the Super 8 Motel in Sulphur.

At the time of the standoff, Bartie was being sought for drive-by shootings on Cline Street.

Authorities said Bartie fired through a wall of the Super 8 Motel on July 26, 2014, as officers attempted to arrest him after receiving a tip he was inside.

Cpl. William Loving, a SWAT team officer with Lake Charles police, testified that during the 30-minute standoff, he and fellow officers were “in the pathway as some of the shots were being fired” by Bartie.

“Then we got word that the defendant wanted to surrender and myself and another SWAT officer took him into custody,” Loving said.

Natalie Hanson, a Lake Charles Police officer, testified about finding five bullet holes through the closet area in one of the hotel rooms.

She said she found a bulletproof vest at the crime scene that was believed to have been worn by Bartie.

After his initial trial, Judge Ron Ware sentenced Bartie to 50 years on each count of attempted first-degree murder, to run concurrent.

Bartie, represented by the Louisiana Appellate Project, appealed his convictions and sentences, claiming he had not waived his right to a trial by jury. The 3rd Circuit ruled in favor of Bartie and vacated his convictions and sentences.

Bartie was convicted again at the end of last week by a jury panel on all eight counts. His sentencing has been set for June 21.

El Jerico Jermiah Bartie