FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS ADVISORY
October 21, 2015
For More Information, contact:
Luther Strange
Mike Lewis (334) 353-2199
Alabama Attorney General
Joy Patterson (334) 242-7491
Page 1 of 1
AG ANNOUNCES THAT COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS UPHOLDS TWO
MONTGOMERY COUNTY CAPITAL MURDER CONVICTIONS
(MONTGOMERY) – Attorney General Luther Strange announced that the Alabama Court of
Criminal Appeals on Friday upheld the capital murder convictions of Jerrod Deshawn Lucas and
Nicholas Lewis Harris. Lucas, 29, of Montgomery, was convicted in Montgomery County Circuit Court
in August of 2014 for the murder of Clyde Chatman. Harris, 24, of Montgomery, was convicted in
Montgomery County Circuit Court in January of 2015 for the murder of Darrell Howard, Jr.
Evidence presented at trial in Lucas’ case showed that on the evening of August 5, 2006, Lucas,
Temarco Scarver, and Maurice Carpenter were standing on a street corner with the intention of robbing a
passing motorist. At approximately 10:30 p.m., Lucas flagged down a passing vehicle. When the vehicle
stopped, Lucas entered the passenger seat and drew a gun on the driver, Clyde Chatman. Scarver leaned
into the car from the passenger-side window and also drew a gun. Chatman accelerated his vehicle, at
which point he was shot by Lucas and Scarver. Lucas then exited Chatman’s vehicle and both assailants
fled the scene. Chatman died as a result of the gunshot wounds.
Evidence presented at trial in Harris’ case revealed that on May 24, 2013, the victim, Darrell
Howard, Jr., was slowly driving his vehicle down Brookview Drive in Montgomery. Howard’s vehicle
collided with another vehicle, a black Chevrolet Impala. After the collision, Nicholas Lewis Harris and
Joshua Sanders emerged from the Impala and began to argue with Howard. When Howard attempted to
pull away, Harris and Sanders both fired their guns into Howard’s vehicle. Howard died as the result of a
gunshot wound to the back of his neck.
The cases were prosecuted at trial by Montgomery County District Attorney Daryl Bailey’s
office. Both Lucas and Harris were convicted and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of
parole. Each defendant subsequently sought to have his conviction reversed on appeal.
The Attorney General’s Criminal Appeals Section handled the cases during the appeals process,
arguing for the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals to affirm the convictions. The Court did so in
decisions issued on Friday, October 16.
Attorney General Strange commended Assistant Attorney General Andy Poole and Tracy Daniel
of the Attorney General’s Criminal Appeals Section for their successful work in these cases.
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501 Washington Avenue * Montgomery, AL 36104 * (334) 242-7300
www.ago.alabama.gov
