Multiple Offender from Slidell Faces Unknown Sentence After Latest Conviction

District Attorney Warren Montgomery reports that on November 17, 2021 a St. Tammany Parish jury, found Christopher “Winky” Bell, Jr., age 35 and of Slidell, guilty of two counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and two counts of Obstruction of Justice. 

On May 26, 2019, the St. Tammany Sheriff’s Department responded to a 911 call from the Alton area where family members of a homicide victim were gathered for a memorial. The crowd became alarmed and began running when they noticed an armed Bell circling the area. After obtaining a description of the vehicle Bell was in, officers descended on the area. After a brief pursuit officers located Bell and the two firearms he attempted to hide under a residence.

A twelve-person jury deliberated for about an hour before handing down the guilty verdict. The case was tried by Assistant District Attorneys Blair Alford and Tiffany Dover.

The charge of felon in possession of a firearm carries a penalty of five to twenty years and obstruction of justice carries a penalty up to twenty years. The sentence range(s) could be affected by his status as a multiple offender when he is sentenced by District Judge Vincent Lobello on January 20, 2022.

Bell has previously been convicted for three counts of aggravated battery in 2005, illegal possession of stolen property in 2012, again for illegal possession of stolen property in 2013, possession of cocaine in 2013, aggravated battery, aggravated criminal damage to property, and hit and run driving involving serious bodily injury in 2014.

Bell is also awaiting trial on charge(s) of second-degree battery from May 2019, battery from June 2019, battery from February 2020, obscenity from August 2020 and battery from December 2020.

The District Attorney’s Office commends the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Deputies for their hard work and dedication to the safety of our community.

Slidell Man Facing Life as Multiple Offender for Attack on Fellow Inmate

District Attorney Warren Montgomery reports that on March 15, 2023 a St. Tammany Parish jury found Christopher “Winky” Bell Jr., age 36 and of Slidell, guilty of Second-Degree Battery.

On May 27, 2019, officers responded to a disturbance in a holding cell at the St. Tammany Parish jail. Upon arrival on the scene, officers observed the victim breathing heavily with bleeding wounds on his face. He reported that he was attacked by the defendant while he was asleep on the holding cell floor. Both inmates were taken to the jail medical department for evaluation. The victim could not move his mouth without severe pain and was transported to the hospital. There, the victim was diagnosed with a broken jaw and surgery was performed a few days later.

Officers reviewed video from the jail’s surveillance system and determined that the defendant was the aggressor and struck the victim without justification. The video showed that, while the victim was laying on the floor sleeping, the victim adjusted his blanket and when the blanket touched the defendant, he stood over the victim and began to attack him.

Hours prior to this incident, the defendant had been arrested and transported to the jail by the St. Tammany Sheriff’s Department on charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and obstruction of justice. In November, 2021, the defendant was tried and convicted on those charges and sentenced on Monday, March 13, 2023, by Judge Vincent J. Lobello to 50 years in prison.

Bell has multiple prior convictions that include aggravated battery, illegal possession of stolen things, possession of cocaine and aggravated criminal damage to property.

During trial, the State presented testimony from the victim who testified that he suffered severe pain, had surgery to wire his jaw shut, could not eat solid food for months, suffered infections and had to have several teeth removed. The State was able to show jail video footage of this incident as well as two more jail videos of additional incidents where Bell played a role in assaulting other inmates and caused serious harm. The victim’s attending physician from University Medical Center testified as an expert in Emergency Medicine and stated that he observed the surveillance video and that the injury to the victim was consistent with the actions and force employed by the defendant.

In closing, Assistant District Attorney Taylor Nicholson said, “The defendant can’t fight a fair fight!” Assistant District Attorney Tiffany Dover said in her closing argument that “the defendant is a bully who seeks out these fights and accomplishes his goal.”

A 6-person jury deliberated for 10 minutes before handing down the guilty verdict.

The charge of Second-Degree Battery usually carries a sentence of up to 8 years. However, due to the number of prior convictions for crimes of violence, the defendant is facing a life sentence under the Habitual Offender Statute when he is sentenced by District Judge Vincent Lobello.

The case was tried by Assistant District Attorneys Tiffany Dover and Taylor Nicholson.

Slidell Man Sentenced to Life in Prison as a Habitual Offender

District Attorney Warren Montgomery reports that on June 1, 2023, Christopher “Winky” Bell, Jr., age 36 and of Slidell, was sentenced by District Judge Vincent Lobello to life in prison without the benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence after a jury found him guilty of second-degree battery in March of 2023.

The criminal act which brought him before the Judge for sentencing as a multiple offender occurred on May 27, 2019. The defendant had been arrested the previous day on charges of possessing firearms while a convicted felon. The defendant was booked into the parish jail and placed in a holding cell with other recent arrestees. The following day, officers at the St. Tammany Parish jail responded to a disturbance in the holding cell. Upon arrival, officers observed the victim breathing heavily with bleeding wounds on his face. He reported that he was attacked by the defendant while he was asleep on the holding cell floor. Both inmates were taken to the jail medical department for evaluation. The victim could not move his mouth without severe pain and was transported to the hospital. There, the victim was diagnosed with a broken jaw and surgery was performed a few days later.

Officers reviewed video from the jail’s surveillance system and determined that the defendant was the aggressor and struck the victim without justification. The video showed that, while the victim was laying on the floor sleeping, the victim adjusted his blanket and when the blanket touched the defendant, he stood over the victim and began to attack him.

During the defendant’s trial, prosecutors presented testimony from the victim who testified that he suffered severe pain, had surgery to wire his jaw shut, could not eat solid food for months, and had to have several teeth removed. The State was able to show jail video footage of the incident as well as two more jail videos of additional incidents where Bell played a role in assaulting other inmates, causing serious harm. The victim’s attending physician from University Medical Center testified as an expert in Emergency Medicine and stated that he observed the surveillance video and that the injury to the victim was consistent with the actions and force employed by the defendant.

Bell has multiple prior convictions that include possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, obstruction of justice, aggravated battery, illegal possession of stolen things, possession of cocaine and aggravated criminal damage to property.

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The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Tiffany Dover and Taylor Nicholson.