Family, friends remember Cat’s Meow bartender killed by bullet in Bourbon Street gunfire

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The trial is underway for the suspect charged with killing beloved Bourbon Street bartender Spencer Hudson. Hudson was killed while working a shift at Cat’s Meow in March of 2022.

Spencer Hudson was killed when gunfire erupted on the 700 block of Bourbon Street after a fight. Bullets flew through the shutters of Cat’s Meow Karaoke bar, where Hudson was wounded in the chest, slicing an artery in his heart.

Daphney Jackson, 25, was arrested on charges of manslaughter, obstruction of justice and illegal use of weapons.

Spencer’s mother, Jennifer Hudson, said, “Spencer was my only son. Life without him is just unbearable. I think he made a mark on life, on the people he knew. I want him to be remembered for that and not how he was robbed of his life. It’s just so important to me, and I think on the stand it was the last real tangible thing I could do to stand up for my son.”

Thomas Bodnar, a friend of Spencer, said, “He was our heart, so we feel like we’ve had the most important body part yanked from us.”

Felton Hudson, Spencer’s father, said, “He was extremely intelligent. No people could debate with him, very few people could actually.”

Many of his friends and family came in from out of town to show their support for Hudson.

In court Thursday, Aug. 17, several witnesses testified, including a woman grazed by a bullet on Bourbon Street that night, a firearms expert and Spencer’s mother, who told jurors life without her son is like living in a world without any color.

His family and friends say Spencer was all-inclusive, non-judgmental, gregarious and a true friend and “brother.”

Hudson was said to be an avid traveler who visited about 90 countries in his lifetime. He was working at Cat’s Meow to save money to travel more.

Closing arguments will begin on Friday, Aug. 18.

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