February 19, 1999

JAMAICA MAN FOUND GUILTY OF KILLING AN ACQUAINTANCE AND ATTEMPTING TO KILL ANOTHER MAN IN 1995 SHOOTING NEAR ROCHDALE VILLAGE

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown announced today the conviction of a Jamaica man on charges of killing a 25 year old acquaintance when he tried to warn a third man that the defendant had a gun and was going to shoot him.

District Attorney Brown identified the defendant as Christopher Burton, 29, of 118-09 200th Street, Jamaica. He was convicted of manslaughter in the shooting death of Richard Myers, 25, formerly of 109-25 Guy R. Brewer Boulevard. The defendant was also convicted of attempting to murder a 23 year old man who was the defendant's original target. The conviction was obtained after a three week trial that took place before Supreme Court Justice Stanley B. Katz. Justice Katz will impose sentence on March 17, 1999. The defendant faces a maximum penalty of 27½ - 55 years in prison for the crimes.

According to the trial testimony, during the afternoon of July 17, 1995 the defendant and the 23 year old intended victim had had an argument during which the defendant pulled out a gun. The 23 year old, it was testified, grabbed a stick and smashed the defendant in the eye. Later that evening at about 8:30 pm, the defendant, apparently in a rage at having been hit by the 23 year old, emerged from an alleyway with an Uzi-like machine gun, assumed a combat stance and took aim at the 23 year old. The deceased, Richard Myers, who was standing on 134th Avenue and Guy R. Brewer Boulevard, across from Rochdale Village, saw the defendant emerge from the alleyway and yelled out to the 23 year old that the defendant had a gun. The defendant then turned towards Mr. Myers and sprayed him with gunfire, killing him instantly. He then turned back towards the 23 year old and shot at him across the boulevard. The 23 year old escaped injury.

The defendant was arrested on August 13, 1996 in Detroit after an intensive investigation conducted by Detective Brian Quinn and members of the Queens Homicide Squad and the 113th Precinct Detective Squad.

Assistant District Attorney Robin Leopold of the District Attorney's Homicide Trials Bureau which is under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Daniel A. Saunders and the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney Gregory L. Lasak, was in charge of the prosecution.

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