MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WRBL) – On Monday, Attorney General Steve Marshall announced that the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals upheld the murder convictions of 35-year-old Teddy Junior North and 33-year-old Jerrell North, both from Opelika, Alabama.

According to the Attorney General’s Office, both men were convicted in the Lee County Circuit Court on Jan 23, 2022.

On July 26, 2018, around nighttime, Antonio Drisker and his girlfriend visited a trailer park in Lee County, where Drisker verbally argued with Teddy North. After the argument, Drisker left the scene but later returned.

After returning, both Teddy and Jerrell demanded cocaine from Drisker. An altercation ensued, and after being physically assaulted by Teddy and Jerrell and a third assailant, Marquerious Canada, Drisker attempted to flee the scene.

As Drisker attempted to leave the scene, the Attorney General’s Office says Canada shot Drisker six times. Drisker died at the scene, and law enforcement apprehended Teddy and Jerrell North.

Lee County District Attorney Jessica Ventiere’s office prosecuted Teddy and Jerrell’s case and obtained guilty verdicts for both defendants. Teddy and Jerrell North received a 38-year-long prison sentence for their murder convictions.

As a result, Teddy and Jerrell North attempted to have their convictions reversed on appeal.

According to the Attorney General’s Office, the Attorney General’s Criminal Appeals Division handled the Norths’ case during the appeal process, arguing for the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals to uphold their previous convictions for the Norths.

The court upheld the convictions in a decision issued on March 17.