State Court of Appeals upholds conviction of man in Isle of Capri casino shooting death

Weldon Leagea
Weldon Leagea

JACKSON, Mississippi (AP) — The state Court of Appeals has upheld the conviction of a Louisiana man in the shooting death of an Arkansas businessman at the Isle of Capri casino in 2007.

Weldon Leagea was sentenced to life in prison when he was convicted of capital murder in Harrison County in 2011.

Leagea and Chana Wells, both of Baton Rouge, La., had been charged in the death of Jim Johnson III of Hot Springs, Ark. Johnson was found death in his Isle of Capri hotel room. Johnson was on a golfing vacation and when he failed to show up to play, hotel security was called.

Wells pleaded guilty to armed robbery in the case and was sentenced to 20 years in prison without parole.

The Appeals Court on Tuesday denied Leagea’s appeal issues.