32-Year Prison Sentence Handed Down in Death of Rapper Slim 400
The shooter pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter.
Michael Lanell Terry was sentenced to 32 years in prison on Tuesday for the 2021 shooting of rapper Slim 400. Terry pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter on Monday, and was sentenced for killing the rapper, whose real name was Vincent Cohran Jr., according to a report by Fox. L.A. Cohran was 33 years old at the time.
Cohran was a Compton native and rising star in the rap music scene, and his death came at a heartbreaking time for the community in general. At the time, rapper Young Dolph had just been shot and killed in his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee, and Cohran shared a tribute to Dolph on Instagram just hours before his own death. Cohran reportedly got into a dispute with Terry on Terry's front lawn in Inglewood on Dec. 8, 2021. Cohran was treated on the scene and rushed to the hospital, but ultimately died of his gunshot wound.
"Our hearts go out to the families of Mr. Cohran, an artist in the Los Angeles community who was taken far too soon by a tragic act of gun violence," District Attorney George Gascón told reporters. "Our Community Violence Reduction Unit vigorously prosecutes gun violence to protect our communities. Gun violence has no place in our society, and we will continue to work closely with communities we serve to help prevent these senseless crimes."
This case includes a codefendant, Tamara Lynn Bell, who is due to be sentenced on Jan. 15, 2025. Bell pleaded guilty to felony accessory after the fact. It's unclear whether she has also reached a plea deal.
Cohran's death caught fans off guard at the time due to his eerie tribute to Young Dolph. On the day of his death, Cohran shared the cover art for his 2019 song "Shake Back" which featured Dolph. The artwork showed a tombstone with both rappers' names on them. Commenters couldn't help but point out this odd conicidence after the fact.
Young Dolph was best known for his feature on the 2015 song "Cut It" by O.T. Genasis, but after a few more hits, he was reportedly planning to retire from the music industry altogether. Some fans believed this was why he was spending more time near home in Memphis, as he wanted to be near his children. On Nov. 17, 2021, Doph was shot at a bakery he frequently visited. Police believe the murder was related to gang activity, and arrested three suspects. They are due for sentencing later this year.