NEW ORLEANS — The defense attorney for 18-year-old John Honore said that his client is responsible for the death of Linda Frickey, who was dragged to her death in 2022 while being carjacked by Honore and three other teens, but should not receive a life sentence.
Those other teens, Lenyra Theophile, Mar’quel Curtis, and Briniyah Baker, pleaded guilty last week to attempted manslaughter in exchange for 20-year sentences.
"He did it. There’s no doubt that he did it and the state will prove that beyond a reasonable doubt," John Honore's defense attorney William Boggs said in court during opening statements Monday. By Monday evening, the jury had convicted Honore of second-degree murder.
The defense said that Honore wants to take accountability and realizes what he did was wrong. Boggs said that Honore wants to plead guilty and expects to serve a long sentence. However, he argued that Honore should not get a life sentence because he did not have murderous intent in the carjacking as he was armed only with mace.
Frickey was carjacked by the teens and surveillance video shows Honore appearing to punch and kick her. Frickey’s arm got caught in a seatbelt and she was dragged to her death with her arm severing in the process.
Frickey’s family, who has been at every hearing since her death and the arrest of the teens, said last week that they want Honore to receive the maximum.
Prosecutors hope to grant that wish to the family and they had witnesses describe Frickey’s dragging and death in horrific terms.
“You will see things you will be unable to see,” said Matthew Derbes, of the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office.
“This woman was skinned alive and murdered, dragged down a block, tortured. I can’t even imagine the pain she went through,” Witness Leanna Mascar, who saw Linda Frickey being dragged, told the court.
During the proceedings, Honore’s father was removed from the court for an outburst. He talked briefly to WWL-TV and stated that his son was innocent and that he should not have been removed from the courtroom.
If Honore is found guilty of second-degree murder, he would face an automatic life sentence.
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