Gang leader sentenced to death for role in notorious soccer tournament shooting deaths

Otis Phillips is expected to appeal the sentence

Otis Phillips was sentenced to death (AP)

A street gang member has been sentenced to death for his role in a notorious soccer tournament shooting attack that left three people dead.

Otis Phillips, 39, was sentenced to death for the murder of tournament organiser Herman Curry, 47. Mr Curry was allegedly shot because he was set to testify over a 2008 killing for which Phillips was wanted, the Associated Press said.

Phillips was also convicted of second-degree murder in that 2008 killing of Christopher Palmer and was sentenced to life in prison on Friday. He also received more than 140 years in prison for other crimes related to the soccer shootings.

Another gang member, Jeffrey Phillips – who is not related to Otis Phillips - was sentenced to life in prison without parole for Mr Curry's murder. He received another 76 years for other crimes, including the killing of 16-year-old soccer player Alexander Kamara.

According to prosecutors, the defendants were members of Delware criminal street gang known as the Sure Shots.