Woman pleads guilty, sentenced to 12 years after fatal 2022 shooting in Amarillo

AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — According to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, a woman who was indicted for murder after the February 2022 shooting death of a man in east Amarillo now faces 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

According to court documents, 27-year-old Jameeka Bates pleaded guilty on Tuesday to an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge in Potter County and was sentenced to 12 years. Bates was also recently sentenced to eight years in Randall County on another aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge, which she is expected to serve concurrently.

As previously reported by MyHighPlains.com, Bates was originally indicted on a murder charge in May 2022 after being arrested and charged with murder in February 2022 after the shooting death of 26-year-old Amon Morgan in east Amarillo. Due to the guilty plea, however, according to documents, Bates entered a lower charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

According to the Amarillo Police Department, back in February 2022, officers were called to the 2600 block of South Spring Street at around 10:30 a.m. on a man who had been shot and found Morgan suffering from a gunshot wound to the upper body. He was treated, according to officers, but later died from his injuries.

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