After only a 1 ½ hour deliberation on Friday, a Jefferson Parish jury convicted Sean Barrette, age 28, of a series of shootings in East Jefferson that tragically ended the lives of three men. As reported by the Jefferson Parish District Attorney's Office, Barrette faced a litany of charges including two counts of first-degree murder, one count of second-degree murder, and several counts of attempted murder and aggravated criminal damage to property.
Acording to JPDA, the defendant, who hails from Metairie, pleaded not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity, but his plea was rejected by the jury, which found him guilty on all counts. Barrette's spree began on June 5, 2019, and lasted two weeks, during which he targeted occupants of four different vehicles. Assistant District Attorney Zach Grate, in closing argument, stated that Barrette "wanted to be remembered for being a serial killer." He controversially urged jurors to "never mention Barrette’s name again after leaving the courtroom." Notoriety, according to Grate, "is the only thing he’s cared about from the start."
The conviction was largely based on damning ballistics evidence that linked Barrette to each crime scene. He utilized a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber semiautomatic pistol, which he had purchased less than a month before embarking on his violent spree. Cartridge casings and bullets found at the crime scenes were consistent with this weapon, as was the ballistic data entered in the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN), confirming the pistol's use at multiple crime scenes. Barrette also dropped his cell phone at one murder scene, providing law enforcement with a significant lead.
As per JPDA, during the trial, Barrette's defense lawyers pointed towards his mental health, citing a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder and previous commitments for mental illness. Nonetheless, forensic psychologist Dr. Gina Manguno-Mire, in testimony for the prosecution, argued that Barrette did have a mental illness but not "a qualifying mental disease or defect" that would interfere with his ability to distinguish right from wrong. She mentioned notes from the Eastern Louisiana Mental Health System, where Barrette had been committed, which indicated he knew his actions were wrong and had intentions to manipulate the justice system. "I know that killing those people was wrong but I’m to [sic] young to go to prison. I wouldn’t make it," Barrette reportedly said, according to one hospital staffer's note.
The jury, which convened on Wednesday, quickly came to its verdict on Friday evening, deciding Barrette's fate after less than two hours of deliberation. The speed and decisiveness of their decision underscore the weight of the evidence presented against Barrette, marking a somber closure to a case that siphoned peace from the community for a tense fortnight in June 2019. Now convicted, Barrette faces the consequences of his actions as defined by the legal system, a finality sought by the families of the victims, and a community yearning for resolution.
