Daniel Foster, 35, was found guilty of First-Degree Murder in the death of Mr. Willie Hopper, II, 31. Additionally, Foster was found guilty of Discharging a Firearm into an Occupied Vehicle and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. After six days of trial, the jury rendered its verdicts on Tuesday, August 2, 2011 at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse.The Honorable Robert C. Ervin, Superior Court Judge, imposed the mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder conviction. In addition to the life sentence, Judge Ervin imposed an additional 113-146 months in prison on the remaining charges.
Mr. Hopper was shot five times and killed by Foster on July 2, 2010, around 11:30 a.m., as Mr. Hopper sat in his car talking to Foster’s ex-girlfriend outside a Charlotte apartment. The woman, who was standing outside the vehicle, was not injured. The defendant testified that he went to his car to retrieve his gun before approaching Mr. Hopper. Despite the fact that he had confessed to police in a video-taped statement, the defendant claimed at trial that he acted in self-defense. The jury rejected his claim of self defense.