Mother of man fatally shot in 2017 said she is ‘living life sentence’ without him

CEDAR RAPIDS — The mother of Leland Harris, who was fatally shot and dumped in an alley in 2017, said Tuesday the two men convicted in his death should have life sentences because she, Harris’ son and the rest of his family and friends are “living a life sentence” without him.

“I will never get to see him change his life, but I had hope,” Maureen Harris said in her victim impact statement read by a Waypoint Survivors Program advocate. “That hope is gone now forever.”

The grieving mother, in her statement read at the sentencing of Lloyd Koger Jr. and James Phillips, said “Lee” will never see his son grow up, watch his basketball games, teach him to drive, see him graduate or marry.

“I would have rather had him in jail than in a grave (where) he now lies,” Maureen Harris, said referring to her son’s issues with drugs. “My heartache will never go away.”

Sixth Judicial District Judge Mary Chicchelly on Tuesday sentenced Phillips, 21, and Koger, 44, both of Cedar Rapids.

Phillips, originally charged with first-degree murder and other charges, previously pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. He admitted to shooting and killing Leland Harris, 34, of Cedar Rapids, on Nov. 21, 2017, in the 500 block of 10th Street SW.

He also admitted to acting with malice aforethought — an intent to kill, which is required for second-degree murder. His other charges were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

Chicchelly sentenced Phillips to up to 50 years in prison. She also ran the 50 years consecutively to his other 10-year conviction for third-degree sexual abuse of a 14-year-old girl. He faces up to 60 years in prison.

Phillips also was ordered to pay restitution of $150,000 to Harris’ estate or heirs, as required in Iowa law when a defendant is convicted in a death.

Koger pleaded guilty in March to aiding and abetting intimidation with a dangerous weapon, possession by a prohibited person, accessory after the fact and driving while barred.

He admitted to aiding and abetting Phillips in killing Harris by driving the vehicle where Harris was shot, according to a criminal complaint. He also supplied the firearm to Phillips with the intent the firearm be used to intimidate the victim, according to a criminal complaint.

Koger, who had a barred driver's license, then drove the vehicle out of town, attempted to clean the car and eventually sold it, the complaint stated.

Chicchelly sentenced Koger to 19 years in prison. As part of his plea agreement, the 19 years will run consecutively to his 2019 federal sentence of nearly 17 years for distributing heroin.

A criminal complaint showed Phillips shot Harris from the back seat of a car in 2017. The first shot killed Harris, but Phillips fired two more shots, striking Harris, after pushing him out of the car, the complaint stated.

After killing Harris, Phillips took his cellphone, wallet and cash, according to the complaint.

Witnesses told police Phillips was the shooter and the only person in the vehicle with a gun, the complaint stated.

Harris’ aunt, Peggy Eilander, in her statement read by a Linn County Attorney’s Office victim/witness coordinator, said she clearly remembers waking up on Thanksgiving Day in 2017 to find out she missed a call from her sister, Maureen Harris, the night before and knew “something awful must have happened.”

“I screamed ‘no, no, no’ and fell into the chair and cried,” Eilander said after hearing her nephew had been killed.

She said she didn’t think they would ever know the “whole story” surrounding her nephew’s death, but they take comfort in knowing “his killers have been caught and justice will be served.”

“There’s nothing the court can do to bring back Mr. Harris,” Chicchelly said at the end of the sentencing. “It’s with a heavy heart … There’s no winners in his situation.”

Chicchelly told both men she hoped these sentences would give them time to think about their actions that resulted in a“tragic” death and use their time in prison to better themselves and somehow “make amends.”

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