A man who was given two life sentences on state charges in the killing of two Black people at a Louisville area grocery store in 2018 received yet another life sentence.Gregory Bush, who was convicted on the state charges last year and pleaded guilty to federal charges in March, was sentenced to life in prison, plus 10 years.WLKY reporter Gladys Bautista reported that the judge said the life sentence on counts one through five will run concurrently while the 10 years on count six will run consecutively.Related: Gunman who killed 2 Black people at Kroger pleads guilty to federal hate crime chargesIn March, Bush pleaded guilty to two counts of a hate crime resulting in death, a count of hate crime with attempt to kill and three counts of use and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, according to court records. The guilty pleas allowed Bush to avoid the death penalty due to an agreement his attorneys reached with federal investigators.On the state charges, Bush pleaded guilty to two counts of murder, criminal attempted murder and wanton endangerment. The judge then sentenced him to two life sentences, which will be served concurrently.During sentencing, loved ones of those Bush killed addressed the courtroom.On the day of the shooting in 2018, relatives of Maurice Stallard said he went inside the Kroger with his grandson to purchase a poster for his grandson's science project, but he never made it out.According to police, Bush pulled the trigger on Stallard and when Bush made his way outside, authorities said Vickie Jones was the next victim.Jones was shot multiple times by Bush and left to die in the store's parking lot.Federal prosecutors have called the shooting racially motivated. Police said Bush tried to get inside First Baptist Church, a predominantly Black church, minutes before the Kroger attack.In March when the plea deal was reached, Bush told the judge that the voices in his head were attacking him and that's why he opened fire. The judge pointed out that Bush shot Black people to which Bush simply responded, "yes."Last year, Bush was found to be incompetent to stand trial. He underwent weeks of assessments at the Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center in Oldham County. Medical experts said, at the time, Bush had been involved in multiple unprovoked fights with other inmates and refused to take his medication.Then, in August, medical experts determined that Bush had received enough treatment and was ready to stand trial. According to the ruling, Bush had initially been suffering from delusions of persecution and hallucination, but had received medication and improved.Relatives of the victims have said just because Bush suffers from mental illness, it doesn't mean he doesn't understand what he is going through now or back in 2018.Friends of the family also told WLKY that Bush had a history of diagnosed mental illness and violence against his ex-wife, who is Black.
A man who was given two life sentences on state charges in the killing of two Black people at a Louisville area grocery store in 2018 received yet another life sentence.
Gregory Bush, who was convicted on the state charges last year and pleaded guilty to federal charges in March, was sentenced to life in prison, plus 10 years.
WLKY reporter Gladys Bautista reported that the judge said the life sentence on counts one through five will run concurrently while the 10 years on count six will run consecutively.
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Related: Gunman who killed 2 Black people at Kroger pleads guilty to federal hate crime charges
In March, Bush pleaded guilty to two counts of a hate crime resulting in death, a count of hate crime with attempt to kill and three counts of use and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, according to court records. The guilty pleas allowed Bush to avoid the death penalty due to an agreement his attorneys reached with federal investigators.
On the state charges, Bush pleaded guilty to two counts of murder, criminal attempted murder and wanton endangerment. The judge then sentenced him to two life sentences, which will be served concurrently.
During sentencing, loved ones of those Bush killed addressed the courtroom.
On the day of the shooting in 2018, relatives of Maurice Stallard said he went inside the Kroger with his grandson to purchase a poster for his grandson's science project, but he never made it out.
According to police, Bush pulled the trigger on Stallard and when Bush made his way outside, authorities said Vickie Jones was the next victim.
Jones was shot multiple times by Bush and left to die in the store's parking lot.
Federal prosecutors have called the shooting racially motivated. Police said Bush tried to get inside First Baptist Church, a predominantly Black church, minutes before the Kroger attack.
In March when the plea deal was reached, Bush told the judge that the voices in his head were attacking him and that's why he opened fire. The judge pointed out that Bush shot Black people to which Bush simply responded, "yes."
Last year, Bush was found to be incompetent to stand trial. He underwent weeks of assessments at the Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center in Oldham County. Medical experts said, at the time, Bush had been involved in multiple unprovoked fights with other inmates and refused to take his medication.
Then, in August, medical experts determined that Bush had received enough treatment and was ready to stand trial. According to the ruling, Bush had initially been suffering from delusions of persecution and hallucination, but had received medication and improved.
Relatives of the victims have said just because Bush suffers from mental illness, it doesn't mean he doesn't understand what he is going through now or back in 2018.
Friends of the family also told WLKY that Bush had a history of diagnosed mental illness and violence against his ex-wife, who is Black.
