Morgan Baker sentenced to life after Malice Murder

On Friday, February 11, Acting District Attorney William Kendall announced the conviction of Morgan C. Baker for the murder of Tamarco Head. According to the a media release provided by the DA’s Office, Judge Katherine K. Lumsden sentenced Baker with life in prison and a possibility of parole for Malice Murder, Felony Murder, and Aggravated Assault.

Kendall commented on the conviction, calling the verdict “a message.”

“Today the Houston County Jury rendered a verdict that speaks the truth,” Kendall said. “We are grateful to our community, our law enforcement and those who stand to protect us from senseless violent crimes.

“Today’s verdict is one that sends a message that violent crime in Houston County, Georgia, will not be tolerated. We, at the DA’s Office, have a lot of work ahead of us in the coming weeks, and months, as we do our part in seeking justice and making our community a safer place. Today’s verdict helps provide closure to Mr. Head’s family, and we are grateful for that, but our work for our community is not over.”

According to the press release, this conviction comes two years and nine months after a shooting at Club Boss, formerly a nightclub in the City of Warner Robins. On July 6, 2019, the night of a performance by rapper “NoCap,” Baker was a part of NoCap’s entourage. After the performance, Baker and an unidentified individual got into an altercation with security — after which they entered a Sprinter van, obtained firearms and “began shooting towards the entrance of the club.” Head was struck by one the bullets fired, killing him.

Following the events of July 6, Detective Joshua Dokes of the Warner Robins Police Department took charge of the investigation.

Baker’s conviction marks the first of 31 trial weeks for the Houston County DA’s Office. After postponing jury trials for approximately 15 months due to concerns of COVID-19, followed by a brief period of fulfilling staffing needs, the DA’s Office is working through jury trials that have been waiting to be processed.

Kendall says that his team is happy to do the work.

“It’s a lot of work,” Kendall said. “Having 31 jury trials in a calendar year is a lot, because what it means is that we’re having trials back to back to back.

“In February we’ve got three trials all stacked against each other which makes for a lot of work, but that’s where it comes to be important that we’re able to divide cases out amongst attorneys, the prosecutors in our office, to make sure they’re able to focus all of their efforts into that particular case instead of trying to get two or three cases ready at once.

“But it is a good thing. It’s always a good thing when, as they say, the wheels of justice turn. We’re not doing anybody favors when cases sit or get prolonged, whether that’s because something happened in the court system or because of COVID. It’s always a good thing because we’re providing due process for defendants, but we’re also providing closure for victims. That’s a big deal. We’re all public servants, and being able to do our job means being able to move cases. To have more trials and trial weeks is a good thing.”

Aside from 16 weeks, the DA’s Office and its employees will spend the remainder of the year in a court room.

HHJ News