x
Breaking News
More () »

Kentucky man pleads guilty to federal hate crimes in 2018 Jefferstown Kroger shooting

Gregory Bush killed Maurice Stallard and Vickie Jones in a racially motivated attack. Bush plead guilty to state level charges in December 2020.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — In 2018, Gregory Bush walked into the Jeffersontown Kroger, shot Maurice Stallard, then walked into the parking lot and shot Vickie Jones.

Thursday in court, a judge asked Bush, a white man, if he shot the two victims because they were Black. He said yes.

Bush pled guilty to six federal charges: two counts of shooting and killing a victim based on race, and one count of attempting to shoot a victim based on race. The other three charges are gun related.  

The maximum sentence in federal court Bush can receive is life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The death penalty was taken off the table at the request of former U.S. Attorney General William Barr in exchange from a guilty plea from Bush. Jones’s sister, Samuella Gathright, said she has mixed feelings about that exchange.  

“I’m a Christian, my family are Christians and I don’t think we would get anything out of him being sentenced to death,” Gathright said. “As long as he never walks this earth again, I think I can live with that.”

Bush will be sentenced June 24 at 1 p.m.

In December, Bush pled guilty, but mentally ill, to murder, attempted murder and wanton endangerment in state court.

He has already been sentenced to life in prison for those crimes.

►Contact reporter Rose McBride at rmcbride@whas11.com or on Facebook or Twitter. 

►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.  

Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.  

Before You Leave, Check This Out