Nearly six years after a 19-year-old college student was shot and killed near Tuscaloosa’s entertainment district, The Strip, a circuit judge sentenced the convicted gunman to 30 years in prison, closing a case that drew emotional testimony from both families and prompted a broader warning from the bench about what the judge called a growing “callousness toward life.”
According to the Tuscaloosa Thread, a Tuscaloosa County jury convicted Zachary Profozich of murder on May 14 following a week-long trial. Jurors were also instructed on manslaughter but returned the more serious murder conviction after less than three hours of deliberations.
The fatal shooting occurred shortly after 1:30 a.m. on Oct. 16, 2020, in the 1700 block of University Boulevard on The Strip. Authorities said an argument between Bradley and Profozich escalated into gunfire. Bradley, who was unarmed, was taken to DCH Regional Medical Center, where he died the following day.
Neither Bradley nor Profozich was a University of Alabama student, and the two men did not know each other before the encounter. Bradley, an Indiana University student, was in Tuscaloosa visiting friends for the weekend football game. Profozich was working as a bouncer at a bar on The Strip.
During the trial, prosecutors argued that Profozich was the initial aggressor and the only person involved who drew a firearm. Defense attorneys maintained that he acted in self-defense after being provoked.
The publication reported that although Profozich was arrested and charged with murder immediately after the shooting, he was released on bond and lived with family in California while awaiting trial. The case stretched on for more than five years before reaching sentencing.
At Monday’s sentencing hearing, Assistant District Attorney Thomas Marshall asked the court to impose a 30-year prison sentence. Bradley’s family requested the maximum punishment allowed by law.
Family members spoke about the impact of Bradley’s death before the court handed down its decision. His sister, Jersey Bradley, described reaching an age her brother never lived to see, while his mother, Daphne Groff, spoke about the loss of her son and the promise he had made to always be there for her.
Defense attorneys Mary Turner and Joel Sogol urged the court to consider an alternative sentencing plan. Working with social worker Joanne Terrell, the defense presented letters from supporters, including members of the Catholic clergy and others who described Profozich as capable of rehabilitation and redemption.
Before sentencing, Profozich addressed both Judge May and Bradley’s family.
“If there’s one thing you take away from this, ma’am, I need you to know that your son was not targeted, there was no bias against him, and it was not malicious,” he told Bradley’s mother. “I thought — I thought he was reaching for something, and he wasn’t. If I knew what I knew right now, I absolutely would not make the same decision.”
According to the publication, prosecutors argued that Profozich’s comments in court conflicted with statements he allegedly made in recorded jail calls following his conviction. They said he blamed his situation on a “liberal” judge, a “liberal” lawyer and jurors he criticized for convicting him.
Judge May ultimately rejected the defense’s alternative sentencing proposal and imposed the sentence requested by prosecutors.
“In recent years, in many cases that have come before this court, I have detected a disturbing and disheartening trend — a callousness toward life — that has infected our society, where life does not have the value it once had,” May said.
“This court will not. It will not recalibrate, it will not lessen the value of life. What would we become? This court sentences Zachary Profozich to 30 years in the Department of Corrections. Any request for probation is denied.”
Following the hearing, Tuscaloosa County District Attorney Hays Webb said in an interview that he was pleased to see the case reach a conclusion after years of litigation.
“Very glad. Happy for the family, for sure. Finally, some vindication all these years later,” Webb said. He also noted the tragedy of a case that left one family grieving the loss of a son and another facing years of incarceration.
Webb praised Bradley’s family for the way they handled the lengthy legal process, describing them as “very gracious and hospitable” despite their loss.
Profozich was led from the courtroom following sentencing and will serve his sentence in state prison.
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].
