Tuesday, June 21, 2005

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

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown announced today that a Brooklyn man has been convicted of murder and robbery 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 accomplice -- who has already been convicted and sentenced -- robbed the victim at gun point and his accomplice used an illegal handgun to kill the victim. His lethal conduct took a life and shattered a family and it warrants imposition of a maximum prison sentence to punish him and protect society.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Jamel Heyward, 27, of 186 Amboy Street in Brooklyn, no known employment. He was convicted of Murder in the Second Degree and Robbery in the First Degree.

The District Attorney said that a jury of seven women and five men deliberated five hours following a one-week trial and returned a verdict of guilty last night before Queens Supreme Court Justice Michael Aloise who indicated that he would impose sentence on the defendant on August 1, 2005. The defendant faces up to 25 years to life in prison.

The District Attorney said that according to trial testimony at 10:30 p.m. 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’s accomplice pointed a loaded 9 mm semi-automatic handgun at the victim. The defendant’s accomplice shot the victim, Lin Li Zhen, 25, a cashier of Far Rockaway, once in the head and fatally wounded her. Both assailants fled on foot.

The defendant’s accomplice, Lueggie Dowling, 23, of 409 Beach 51st Street in Far Rockaway, Queens was convicted after a jury trial of Murder in the Second Degree, Robbery in the First Degree and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree on January 27, 2005 before Queens Supreme Court Justice Roberta L. Dunlop who sentenced the defendant to 25 years to life in prison on March 2, 2005.

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