Emonte Morgan shot and killed Police Officer Ella French during a traffic stop in August 2021, according to police.
The man who shot and killed Chicago Police Officer Ella French, 29, during a traffic stop, was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Emonte Morgan, 24, was sentenced to 50 years in prison for permanently wounding French’s partner, Carlos Yañez, and seven years for unlawful use of a weapon, according to Chicago ABC affiliate WLS.
Yañez’s career was cut short after he lost his right eye during the attack. Despite being able to walk independently after initial paralysis, bullet fragments in his neck and shoulder were too dangerous to remove.
“I don’t think it’s justice,” he said following his sentencing on Wednesday, according to WLS. “I am not going to find closure. I am affected for the rest of my life.”
Prosecutors claim the officers pulled over Morgan and his brother Eric Morgan during a traffic stop on August 7, 2021. The defense claimed that Morgan did not intend to open fire and that the firearm went off when he attempted to put it down.
However, prosecutors stated that he fired multiple times and that neither officer pulled out their weapons. Detective Joshua Blas also survived the incident.
“Today, justice was served, as the court sentenced Emonte Morgan to life in prison for the brutal killing of Chicago Police Officer Ella French and the grievous injury of her partner, Officer Carlos Yanez, Jr., in 2021,” Cook County prosecutors said in an online statement. “Officer French’s dedication to serving our city with integrity and honor will never be forgotten, and we join her family, friends, and the entire Chicago Police Department in mourning her loss.
We would be remiss not to commend Officer Yanez for his bravery and resilience throughout this ordeal, which has been nothing short of inspirational. Today’s sentencing demonstrates our unwavering commitment to seeking justice for all victims of violence and holding those who commit such heinous crimes accountable.”
Morgan’s brother, Eric Morgan, received a seven-year prison sentence last year after pleading guilty to aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, battery, and obstruction of justice in connection with French’s death. A third man, Indiana resident Jamel Danz, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for illegally purchasing the gun used to kill French.
