KC man convicted in killing of rapper at Overland Park bar gets ‘hard 50’ sentence

A Kansas City man convicted in the killing of an aspiring rapper outside an Overland Park bar last year has been sentenced to more than 50 years in prison, according to Johnson County prosecutors.

Dale “Poppa Willo” Willis, 34, had sought to delay sentencing while his attorney pursued accusations of misconduct by prosecutors in their handling of a witness in the case. But a judge on Monday handed down a so-called “hard 50” sentence — life without the possibility of parole for at least 50 years.

Earlier this year, a Johnson County District Court jury found Dale Willis guilty of first-degree murder in the September 2015 fatal shooting of Jurl Carter outside Jim Kilroy’s Roxy Bar at 75th Street and Metcalf Avenue.

Carter, 24, of Olathe, an aspiring rapper who performed under the names Yunglyfe Carter and Bo Boogy, was shot to death after an altercation in which Willis punched him in the face, according to trial testimony.

Prosecutors said the shots were fired by Willis’ brother, James Willis, who is in custody awaiting trial.

A federal investigation into drug dealing and violence in Kansas City turned up allegations that Dale Willis led, along with his brother, a group selling large amounts of drugs and guns in the Kansas City area.

This story was originally published November 21, 2016 at 6:11 PM with the headline "KC man convicted in killing of rapper at Overland Park bar gets ‘hard 50’ sentence."