Man Who Killed Lorenzo Anderson in CHOP in 2020 Sentenced to More Than 14 Years in Prison
In a highly emotional court proceeding, the man who pleaded guilty to killing Lorenzo Anderson in Seattle’s “CHOP” in 2020 was sentenced to more than 14 years in prison on Friday.
Marcel Long pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in May. He was 19 when he shot Anderson several times on June 20, 2020, in the area by Cal Anderson Park that became known as the Capitol Hill Organized Protest. The murder was caught on video.
Shortly after the victim’s family impact statements began, Anderson’s mother walked over to address Long’s family and friends on their side of courtroom.
“You are not going to disrespect my son,” said Donnitta Sinclair. Sheriff’s deputies moved to restore order in the courtroom, and Judge Karen Donohue suspended the proceeding.
When the sentencing hearing resumed, several of Anderson’s family members, including Sinclair, directly expressed their anger at Long and their frustration with the sentence.
“I don’t want to throw you to the wolves. I don’t want to hurt you,” Sinclair said while looking at Long. “But I’m going to say to you, my son deserves to be here.”
“I’m hurting, bro. Why did you have to kill my brother? That was my older brother. That’s all I had. You killed him,” said one of Anderson’s sisters. “Why did you have to kill him? I’m scared to walk out of my house because you killed my brother. That hurts me, bro. It hurts!”
“My son is gone, and he’s never coming back,” said Horace Anderson, Lorenzo Anderson’s father.
“My brother didn’t deserve what you did to him. You and your friends,” said another one of Anderson’s sisters. “I hate you for life! I hate you all!”
“One hundred seventy-one months? That’s a joke,” said one of Anderson’s uncles.
Standing in front of the judge, Long apologized to the families.
Long’s father, Alving Green, Sr., apologized to the families.
“I want to apologize to both families,” Green said. “None of this is my doing, none of us as parents. We try to do the best we can. It doesn’t mean that our kids are going to follow our examples.”
Green added that the children have to make the choices, but whatever choices they make, they “have to suffer the consequences.”
In making her decision, Donohue said she had to follow state and federal guidelines and take Long’s age at the time of the killing in consideration. She also cited a report from a doctor who evaluated his mental and emotional state. That doctor said Long was functioning more like an 11- to 14-year-old child.
“There’s nothing I can say here that’s going to change anyone’s thoughts or opinions,” Donohue said. “He did deserve to be here. He deserved to follow his music, make his music. He deserved to grow up and have a family. I’m so sorry for your loss and the deep pain you’re experiencing.”
Anderson’s father, Horace Anderson, sued the city, Jenny Durkan, who was the mayor at the time, and Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant for undermining the “safety of others” during the CHOP. The protest started in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis in 2020. The city settled the lawsuit for $500,000 last year.
Sinclair has also sued the city for wrongful death, saying that the city created a dangerous situation for her son when police abandoned the East Precinct because of the protests. A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit. The dismissal was upheld by the US District Court for the Western District of Washington and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Sinclair has filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case.
Long will be eligible for parole and his sentence reduced by 10% for good behavior at the Department of Corrections’ discretion according to Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Brandy Gevers, who negotiated the plea agreement with defense attorney Adrien Leavitt.
