The man convicted of murdering a Charlestown teenager in what was believed to be a deadly case of mistaken identity was sentenced to life in prison Friday.
The sentencing of 26-year-old Julio Baez came more than 3 years after Ryan Morrissey was gunned down outside of a Charlestown convenience store in 2014. Morrissey, a beloved hockey and lacrosse player, was 17 years old.
The trial started with three men accused of the murder, but ended with just the alleged getaway driver behind bars. A Boston jury found the other co-defendants, who prosecutors accused of pulling the trigger, not guilty.
Before the mandatory life sentence of their son’s convicted killer, Morrissey’s family addressed the court.
“There are so many things we were looking forward to that we will never get to witness with our son,” his father Stephen Morrisseysaid. “His loss created a void in our lives that will never be filled and we will forever miss him.
James Lawton, a friend of Morrissey’s who was also shot that night, delivered a victim impact statement as well.
“I not only have the mental pain, but the physical pain that’s a constant reminder of what I went through and still have to live with every day,” Lawton said.
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Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley said witnesses who could have provided critical testimony "opted to lie or remain silent," depriving jurors of the "full truth."
Baez’s attorney said they plan to appeal.
