FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, June 15, 2022
Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 18 Years to Life in Prison
For Fatal Shooting of Innocent Teen in Bedford-Stuyvesant
Victim Shot on Street After Exchanging Words with Defendant
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a young man has been sentenced to 18 years to life in prison for the 2018 fatal shooting of a 16-year-old boy who was walking with his girlfriend.
District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant senselessly took the life of an innocent teenager, Latrell Brown, who was a talented shooting guard and captain of his basketball team, the Brooklyn Ballers. Latrell had his whole life ahead of him and his death devastated his family, friends, and classmates. My heart continues to be with his loved ones, and I hope that today’s sentencing brings them some measure of solace.”
The District Attorney identified the defendant as Justin Delapara, 21, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Rhonda Tomlinson to 18 years to life in prison. The defendant pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on May 23, 2022.
The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on July 11, 2018, at approximately 1:48 p.m., in the vicinity of Macon Street and Lewis Avenue, the victim, Latrell Brown, 16, and the defendant walked past one another on the street and words were exchanged. The defendant displayed a handgun and shot the victim in the head, killing him. The defendant was arrested shortly thereafter by police and the handgun was also recovered.
Latrell Brown was a student at Brooklyn Law and Technical High School where he was scheduled to begin his senior year at the time he was killed. He was a shooting guard for the Brooklyn Ballers as well as for his high school team.
The District Attorney thanked Paralegal Angelika Rostkowska and Supervising Paralegal Jannette Ayala, of the Homicide Bureau, for their assistance on the case.
The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Joseph Bianco, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Homicide Bureau Chief.
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An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.