A Florida man has been sentenced to 45 years in prison for the brutal killing of a bicyclist who was chased down and repeatedly beaten with a tire iron during what authorities say was a random act of violence.
Background
On Oct. 20, 2022, Savonne Morrison and Jermaine Bennett were driving through Clearwater when they spotted Jeffrey Chapman riding his bicycle on the 700 block of Mandalay Avenue. The two men, who were armed with a tire iron, had been committing acts of vandalism throughout the evening.
According to a probable cause arrest affidavit, Morrison shoved Chapman off his bike without warning. When Chapman attempted to flee, Bennett chased him down and began beating him in the head with the tire iron. Authorities said the attack involved at least 10 blows.
Police responded to the scene but found Chapman already dead. Investigators identified the suspects through vehicle license plate information captured on video of the incident.
The Sentencing
Morrison, who was 18 at the time of the killing, was convicted of manslaughter by a jury earlier this year. At the time of Chapman's death, Morrison was on probation for a carjacking committed when he was 15 years old—a case in which suspects ran over the victim with his own vehicle.
Circuit Court Judge Christopher M. Quilling sentenced Morrison to 15 years for the manslaughter conviction and an additional 30 years for violating probation on the prior carjacking case, bringing his total sentence to 45 years behind bars.
"My father was murdered for sport," said Sierra Chapman during Monday's sentencing hearing, according to local NBC affiliate WFLA. "What makes this even more disgusting is that the defendant was on probation for a violent felony when he did this."
Co-defendant Jermaine Bennett faced a separate trial and was convicted of first-degree murder. He received a sentence of life in prison.
Investigators recovered text messages between Morrison and Bennett after the killing. When Morrison sent Bennett a link to a news story about the incident, Bennett responded with "lol." Later texts included "we did it" as the two referred to themselves as "legends," authorities said. Videos on Bennett's phone also showed the pair vandalizing and breaking windows of vehicles before the fatal attack.
The victim from Morrison's prior carjacking case also addressed the court during sentencing, describing how suspects dragged him from his vehicle and struck him multiple times until he could not move.
"This was just a man living a quiet and humble life. A man who was compassionate, patient, wise and kind, that was left to die on the side of the road, after being beaten to death for no reason at all," Sierra Chapman said, per WFLA.
Key Takeaways
- Jeffrey Chapman, 49, was killed while riding his bicycle in Clearwater, Florida, on Oct. 20, 2022
- Savonne Morrison received a 45-year sentence: 15 years for manslaughter and 30 years for violating probation from a prior carjacking conviction
- Morrison was on probation at the time of the killing after being sentenced under the Youthful Offender Act for a 2020 carjacking committed when he was 15
- Co-defendant Jermaine Bennett was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison
- Text messages between the defendants showed little remorse, with Bennett responding "lol" to news coverage and texting "we did it"
What's Next
Morrison's case represents a significant sentencing under Florida law given his prior criminal history. The prosecution highlighted that Morrison had been given a second chance through Youthful Offender Act provisions only to commit another violent crime while on supervision. Sierra Chapman urged the court to show no leniency, stating her father was simply going for a bike ride when he was killed in what she called a completely senseless act.
Both defendants will serve their sentences in Florida state prison.