Grover Cannon Found Guilty Of Thomas LaValley’s Murder

More than 1,500 days after Shreveport Police Officer Thomas LaValley was shot and killed while on duty, justice has come calling.

Tonight, a jury made up of East Baton Rouge Parish residents found Grover Cannon guilty of First Degree Murder.

The prosecution took 6 days, and used 28 witnesses, to make their case against Cannon. At points in the trial, audio was played from the night Officer LaValley was killed, which shook everyone in the courtroom. After that point, one of the jurors had to be replaced after they became ill.

Prosecutors also called Cannon's family members to the stand, who painted a picture of a violent man in Cannon. His sister referenced a time when Cannon struck his special needs sibling, while his brother-in-law said that Cannon threatened everyone in the residence he was in the night Officer LaValley was killed.

For the defense, the only witness called was Grover Cannon himself. While on the stand, Cannon was asked questions from his attorney, that Cannon had prepared himself. Defense attorney's made it clear that Cannon was testifying against the advice of his legal counsel.

During Cannon's testimony, he claimed he was being "framed" by police, and that he was completely innocent.

The case will now move to the sentencing phase.