Trezevant found guilty of Bradford murder, handed life prison sentence

Victor Trezevant was convicted of murder Saturday in the 2007 on-campus shooting death of U of M football player Taylor Bradford.

A jury found Trezevant, 24, guilty of murder in the perpetration of an attempted robbery. Trezevant was automatically sentenced to life in prison.

Trezevant is the second of four men to be tried for Bradford's murder. Devin Jefferson was convicted last year on Mother's Day of the murder and was automatically sentenced to 51 years in state prison.

Daeshawn Tate and Courtney Washington, the two other men accused of the shooting, still await trial.

Bradford was shot in his right side while sitting in his car in front of Carpenter Complex on the night of Sept. 30, 2007, when the four former classmates at Treadwell High School attempted to rob the 21-year-old lineman of the $7,400 he had won at Horseshoe Casino in Tunica.

Bradford, a business major, attempted to speed away but lost consciousness heading south on Zach Curlin Street and crashed into a tree.

During the trial's final day of testimony Friday, Trezevant's defense tried to put the gun in Jefferson's hands.

Trezevant's defense attorney told a jury Friday that Devin Jefferson shot and killed U of M football player Taylor Bradford, and that Trezevant knew nothing of a plan to take Bradford's life.

"Nobody knew Devin Jefferson had another plan orchestrated. Devin had another plan the entire time," defense attorney William Massey said during his closing argument.

Trezevant did not take the stand in his defense.

Jennifer McCray, Bradford's girlfriend at the time of the shooting, testified that Jefferson made threats against Bradford two weeks prior in her apartment, a residence she shared with Jefferson's girlfriend, Erica Bell.

McCray said that Jefferson came into her dorm room and told her "if he caught Bradford slipping, he would kill him."

The prosecution, however, told the jury that Jefferson had to be held responsible for taking Bradford's life.

"Victor is criminally responsible. He is responsible for Daeshawn Tate, Courtney Washington and Devin Jefferson," said prosecutor Reggie Henderson on Friday. "Today is Victor's day of accountability."