Bride to Be

Michelle Johnson and Greg Porter had been a couple for a number of years. Greg was a successful business owner and community leader and Michelle, an aspiring woman from Trinidad. Michelle moved to New York from Trinidad to find a better life for herself and her small son. Soon after her move she began a long relationship with Greg, which was plagued by Greg’s numerous affairs. Finally, Michelle broke off the relationship, which angered Greg. Unable to let go Greg began stalking Michelle and begging her to come back. However, Michelle became involved in another relationship with a guy name Michael Roberts who was a financial consultant. The two lovers began talking about marriage and eventually decided to get married.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½

On the day Michelle Johnson was preparing to walk down the wedding aisle her ex-boyfriend, Greg, showed up uninvited. Michelle’s brother, Todd, confronted Greg asking him what he wanted and why he was there. Greg never answered and bombarded his way into Michelle’s house where she and her bridesmaids were taking pictures and preparing for the big moment. The big moment was never to happen. Greg busted into one of the rooms in the house and started shooting wildly his shots seem to be random but he was shooting at a specific target, Michelle. Michelle’s brother tried frantically to grab the gun but Greg was able to aim and shoot directly at Michelle, killing her instantly. As Michelle lay dying on the floor, the wedding party scrambled hysterically out of the house at the same time the police showed up witnessing the chaotic scene and trying to calm people down and find out information about the perpetrator. Eventually, the police arrested Greg and charged him with premeditated murder with malicious intent.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½

The prosecutor stated that Greg showed up at the wedding uninvited and with one purpose in mind…to destroy the person he felt betrayed him. The defense argued that although the couple had officially broken up eight months earlier, they were still on intimate terms and had, in fact, been together the night before at which time Michelle blurted out that she intended to marry another man the next day. Greg’s lawyers argued that this was a “heat of passion” killing and sought to reduce the murder charge to manslaughter because of the crime of passion defense. Witnesses for the prosecution testified that Michelle had severed the relationship long ago and that she told Greg about her marriage plans two months ago. The defense presented a video in court that presumably showed Michelle and Greg in a store hugging each other, however, the prosecutor argued that while Greg’s arms were around Michelle in this video, Michelle’s body language demonstrated that Michelle was there not under her own will.

Greg was found guilty of first-degree murder.