Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Keanu Suckoo, 21, has been sentenced to 19 years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter. Following a verbal dispute in March 2019 in Jamaica, Queens, the defendant shot  and killed the victim, who was running away from him.

District Attorney Katz said, “This defendant shot down a man who was running for his life. Senseless gun violence is ripping apart our communities and it must stop. My Office will continue to pursue those who shoot and kill with no regard for human life.”

Suckoo, of 145^th Road in Jamaica, Queens, pleaded guilty last month to manslaughter in the first degree before Queens Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Holder. Today, Justice Holder sentenced the defendant to 19 years in prison, to be followed by five years’ post release supervision.

According to the charges, soon after sunset on March 5, 2019, Pernell Cudjoe, was inside of a vehicle with his brother in the vicinity of 145^th Avenue and 180^th Street when Suckoo approached the automobile. Following a verbal dispute and a brief physical altercation, Suckoo pulled out a gun. Mr. Cudjoe and his brother ran to get away from the defendant.

DA Katz said the defendant was observed on video surveillance pulling out the gun and firing twice in the direction of Mr. Cudjoe and his brother. Pernell Cudjoe was struck once in the back and died at a nearby hospital.

Senior Assistant District Attorney Emily Collins, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, prosecuted the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Peter McCormack III, Senior Deputy Bureau Chief, John Kosinski and Karen Ross, Deputy Bureau Chiefs, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney of Major Crimes Daniel Saunders.

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