Contact: Beth Stone (508) 584-8120
BROCKTON – A man has been convicted and sent to State Prison for shooting
another man to death behind a Brockton bar, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy
J. Cruz has announced.
After a 3 week trial, a Plymouth County jury deliberated 8 hours before finding
Jerome Morris (DOB: 11/16/87) guilty of one count each of Murder, Carrying a Firearm
Without a License, and Discharging a Firearm within 500 feet of a Building. Judge
Gregg Pasquale sentenced Morris to serve life in prison without parole on the Murder
conviction, 2.5 to 2.5 and one day in state prison concurrent on the firearm conviction.
The Commonwealth had recommended that Morris serve life in prison on the Murder
conviction and 4-5 on the firearm conviction.
At approximately 2:20 a.m. on August 9, 2014, Brockton Police received
notification from Brockton Hospital that they were treating a male gunshot victim. The
victim, later identified as Quentin Phillips (DOB: 10/15/85) of Mattapan, was
pronounced dead a short time later of a single gunshot wound to the chest.
Investigators found that both Phillips and Morris knew each other and had been
patrons at Joe Angelo’s Bar that night. At approximately 2 a.m., the pair had a verbal
confrontation just before the bar closed. Outside, in the back parking lot of the bar, the
pair further exchanged words before Phillips got into a parked car. Morris approached
friends, one being Michael Townsend (DOB: 09/05/89) of Randolph, and told them of his
exchange with Phillips and his fear that Phillips had a firearm. Townsend handed Morris
his firearm and approached the parked car where Phillips was sitting. Morris fired two
shots into the passenger side window, striking Phillips. Friends of Phillips operating and
inside the car immediately fled the scene and brought Phillips to Brockton Hospital
where he was pronounced dead at 2:25 a.m.
Through witness interviews and surveillance video, investigators determined that
Morris was the shooter. Police sought and obtained an arrest warrant for Morris and he
was arrested on October 31, 2014.
In February, 2016, Townsend pleaded guilty to Manslaughter and gun charges for
his role in the murder. Townsend was sentenced to serve 10-12 years in State Prison.
Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Sprague and Assistant District Attorney
Canan Yesilcimen prosecuted the case, which was investigated by State Police Detectives
assigned to the District Attorney’s Office and Brockton Police.
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