“Earlier in the month, Defendant Danny Willis pled no contest to one count of First-Degree Murder and admitted a gang allegation for his role in the shooting that killed 50-year-old Edwin Smith and left four other victims injured. His co-defendant, Gary Pierson, entered a no contest plea to two counts of assault with a semi-automatic firearm and admitted a gang allegation.
Yesterday, Willis was sentenced to 35 years to life in prison. Pierson received a sentence of 15 years in prison. The case was prosecuted by Chief Deputy District Attorney Joseph Marcano.
On September 23, 2017, at approximately 1:40 a.m., Willis and several other members of the West Side Crips criminal street gang were present at the Martini’s Feel Good Lounge located on Real Road in Bakersfield. While they were walking through the parking lot of the business, they came across a group which was comprised of subjects from the east side of Bakersfield. A confrontation arose between the two groups resulting in Willis and his accomplices, including Pierson, firing multiple rounds at the victims’ group, killing Edwin Smith and injuring four other victims…