Friday, January 28, 2005

D.A. BROWN: ROCKAWAY MAN CONVICTED OF MURDER FOR KILLING FEMALE EMPLOYEE OF CHINESE RESTAURANT DURING ARMED ROBBERY; FACES UP TO 25 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown today announced the conviction of a Queens man for intentional murder for the July 2003 shooting death of a female employee of a Chinese restaurant during a robbery.

District Attorney Brown said, “The victim was a hardworking young woman working long hours to support her family. The defendant and an alleged accomplice used an illegal handgun to rob and kill the victim. His lethal conduct took a life and shattered a family with grief and it warrants imposition of a maximum prison sentence to punish him and protect society.”

District Attorney Brown identified the defendant as Lueggie Dowling, 23, of 409 Beach 51st Street in Far Rockaway, Queens who was found guilty last night of Murder in the Second Degree, Robbery in the First Degree and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree.

The District Attorney said that a jury of nine women and three men deliberated about five hours following a two-week trial and returned a verdict of guilty before Queens Supreme Court Justice Roberta L. Dunlop. The defendant faces up to 25 years to life in prison at sentencing on March 2, 2005.

District Attorney Brown said that according to trial testimony on July 18, 2003 the defendant and an accomplice entered the Beautiful Gardens Chinese Restaurant at 21-03 Cornega Avenue in Far Rockaway, Queens. During a robbery in which about $500 was taken, the defendant shot the victim, Lin Li Zhen, 25, of Far Rockaway, once in the head and fatally wounded her. Both assailants fled on foot.

The District Attorney said that Dowling was apprehended on September 9, 2003 a week after his alleged accomplice, Jamel Heyward, 26, of 186 Amboy Street, Brooklyn, was apprehended on September 2, 2003. Heyward is being held without bail awaiting trial.

Assistant District Attorney Brad A. Leventhal, Deputy Bureau Chief, of the District Attorney’s Career Criminal Major Crimes Bureau is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney James W. Evangelou, Bureau Chief, and the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District for Trials James C. Quinn and Deputy Executive Assistant District Attorney for Trials John H. Larsen.