About Ernest Johnson

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, June 28, 2016

East New York Man Sentenced to 25 Years to Life in Prison
For Murder on Street Corner

Shot Victim in Head as He Lay Bleeding, High-Speed Police Chase Ensued

Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson yesterday announced that an East New York man was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for his murder conviction. The defendant shot a man multiple times on an East New York street corner, killing him, then led police officers on a high-speed car chase before being apprehended.

District Attorney Thompson said, “This defendant shot a man in a barbaric fashion who tried to run for his life. He’s been held accountable and will now spend decades in prison for his deplorable act of violence.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Ralston Avery, 37, of East New York, Brooklyn. He was sentenced yesterday by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice William Harrington to 25 years to life in prison following his conviction on May 27, 2016 on charges of second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon after a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to trial testimony, on October 22, 2012, at approximately 10:25 p.m., the victim, Dwayne Welch, 38, of Valley Stream, NY, was sitting in his car, parked at the intersection of Hemlock Street and Dumont Avenue in East New York. The defendant got out of a Cadillac Escalade SUV and began firing at the victim, who left his vehicle and attempted to flee on foot. The defendant chased the victim, catching up to him at the corner of Blake Avenue and Hemlock Street, where the defendant fired an additional 14 times at the victim, striking him repeatedly in the torso, before shooting him twice in the back of the head as he lay bleeding on the ground.

According to trial testimony, two New York City Police Department officers approached the intersection on patrol and observed two individuals run from the sidewalk where the shots were fired into a double-parked SUV. The officers pursued the SUV on a high-speed chase, ending in front of the Pink Houses at 2628 Linden Boulevard. The defendant, who was in the passenger seat, and the driver, ran into the building. The officers pursued them, catching the defendant on a flight of stairs still holding an emptied handgun.

The driver of the SUV, Theodore Haynes, 33, of Sheepshead Bay, was later caught inside the building and pleaded guilty to second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He is awaiting sentencing.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Howard L. Jackson, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Leigh-Ann Perez, of the District Attorney’s Trial Zone Red, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Kenneth Taub, Homicide Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, June 23, 2016

Bronx Man Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Slashing MTA Driver

Cut Victim in Face and Neck during Unprovoked Attack in Brownsville Street

Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson today announced that a 30-year-old man was sentenced to four years in prison for attacking a uniformed MTA bus driver without any provocation, slashing him in the face and neck.

District Attorney Thompson said, “This defendant’s vicious and unprovoked attack against a hard-working public servant who was simply waiting for his bus to be towed is completely unacceptable. He deserves to be sent to prison to protect the public.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Alfredo Perez, 30, of 1363 Franklin Avenue in the Bronx. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Michael Gary to four years in prison following his conviction on April 21, 2016 of second-degree assault and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon after a bench trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to evidence at trial, on September 13, 2014 at about 10:50 p.m., John Browne, a bus driver for the Metropolitan Transit Authority, was outside his bus near the corner of Mother Gaston Boulevard and Hegeman Avenue in Brownsville, Brooklyn. He parked the B35 bus at the last stop of its route and was waiting for assistance after a hazard light had indicated a mechanical problem.

Mr. Browne, who was in uniform, was returning to the bus after making a purchase at a bodega, when he heard the defendant, whom he had never seen before, cursing him from the opposite street corner. The defendant then crossed the street, quickly approached the victim, continued to scream and curse, took out a knife and slashed Mr. Browne on the left side of his face and neck, according to testimony.

The victim was taken to Brookdale Hospital, where he received six stiches. He continues to suffer pain and has a visible scar across the side of his face, the evidence showed.

The defendant immediately fled the scene and was apprehended four days later.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Farin Chasin-Fodeman and Nicholas Ford of the District Attorney’s Trial Bureau V, Orange Zone, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Janet Gleeson, Orange Zone Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, June 23, 2016

East New York Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison
For Fatally Stabbing Rival

Victim and Defendant Both Dated the Same Woman

Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson today announced that a 23-year-old man was sentenced to 20 years in prison following his manslaughter conviction for stabbing to death a 22-year-old man during an altercation stemming from the allegation that they were both dating the same woman. The defendant and the woman fled to Mexico after the stabbing.

District Attorney Thompson said, “A completely avoidable fight led to a tragic loss of life when this defendant chose to stab another man. He made a very poor choice and will now pay for it by spending years in prison.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Christian Morales, 23, of East New York, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today to 20 years in prison by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Neil Firetog following his conviction on June 2, 2016 of first-degree manslaughter after a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to trial testimony, on June 18, 2014 at about 4 p.m., the victim, Carlos Santos, and two friends were on Liberty Avenue in East New York when Santos confronted the defendant, wanting to fight him; the defendant took out a knife and swung at Santos, hitting him in the right eye and continued to swing the knife while Santos tried to protect his face, hitting him in the arms and hands. Santos ran away into a nearby store and the defendant ran in after him, stabbing him once in the right chest. Santos’ friends were able to get the defendant off of him and the defendant and his girlfriend walked away. Santos was taken to the hospital, where he later died.

The defendant and his girlfriend fled to Mexico. He was arrested in Mexico and extradited following an investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Sara Kurtzberg of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, under the supervision of Kenneth Taub, Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, June 23, 2016

Driver Sentenced up to 7 Years in Prison for Recklessly
Killing Pedestrian during High-Speed Police Chase

Caused Two-Car Wreck, Three Passengers Injured

Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson today announced that a Crown Heights man has been sentenced to 2 1/3 to seven years in prison for the death a pedestrian who was killed when the defendant led police officers on a high-speed chase through a residential neighborhood.

District Attorney Thompson said, “Instead of pulling over his car, this defendant foolishly decided to flee law enforcement and recklessly speed through red lights, which led to the death of an innocent young man. This tragedy was completely avoidable and the defendant will now spend years in prison, where, undoubtedly, he will think about that fact.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Raymond Ramos, 19, of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Martin Murphy to an indeterminate term of 2 1/3 to seven years in prison following his guilty plea on May 31, 2016 to second-degree manslaughter.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, at approximately 11:55 p.m., on March 8, 2015, in the vicinity of Sterling Avenue and Schenectady Avenue in Crown Heights, the defendant was behind the wheel of a 2014 Volkswagen with the windows down. New York City Police Department Officers passing in an unmarked police vehicle noticed an odor of marijuana, activated their sirens and attempted to stop the defendant’s vehicle. The defendant refused to stop and instead accelerated and fled from the officers.

The defendant continued driving at an excessive rate of speed and ran through two steady red lights before striking another vehicle—a 2012 Nissan Rouge— at the intersection of Nostrand Avenue and Saint Johns Place. The impact of the crash caused the defendant to hit a pedestrian, 21-year-old Dave Jones, before striking a nearby bus shelter and a telephone pole, according to the investigation.

The victim was pronounced dead on March 9, 2015 at Kings County Hospital. He died as a result of the injuries sustained in the car crash. There were two passengers in the defendant’s vehicle and one passenger in the Nissan Rouge. All three passengers suffered injuries.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Craig Essewin, Deputy Bureau Chief of the District Attorney’s Vehicular Crimes Unit, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Gayle Dampf, Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, June 23, 2016

Police Officer Sentenced to Two Years’ Probation
For Stomping on Suspect’s Head

Convicted of Assault; Incident Caught on Cell Phone Video

Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson today announced that a New York City Police Officer was sentenced to two years’ probation and instructed to resign following his conviction of misdemeanor assault for stomping on the head of a suspect while he was face down on the ground, in the process of being handcuffed by other officers. 

District Attorney Thompson said, “This police officer intentionally and needlessly stomped on the head of a suspect who had already been restrained by fellow officers.  And he did so in broad daylight and in front of a crowd of people. He deserved to spend time in jail for committing such a blatant act of police brutality, but we accept the sentence imposed by the court.” 

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Joel Edouard, 38, of Elmont, NY, who was assigned to the 81^st precinct at the time of the incident. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Alan Marrus to two years’ probation with the condition that, if not terminated, he resigns from his job as a police officer within 24 hours. The defendant was convicted on April 29, 2016 of one count of third-degree assault, a misdemeanor, after a bench trial. The District Attorney’s Office recommended a sentence of 60 days in jail followed by two years’ probation. 

The District Attorney said that, according to trial testimony, on July 23, 2014, at about 7:30 p.m., in the vicinity of 223 Malcolm X Boulevard, in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, the defendant and his partner observed Jahmi-El Cuffee, 32, drinking on the sidewalk and possessing what appeared to be marijuana. Cuffee resisted arrest and tussled with the officers. Additional officers arrived on the scene to assist Officer Edouard and his partner. 

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, a witness to the incident captured a cell phone video which depicts Cuffee on the ground, face down and being subdued by several officers. Also depicted on the video is Officer Edouard briefly pointing his gun at Cuffee, walking away from the scene of the arrest and then walking back and stomping on Cuffee’s head as he lay on the ground. Cuffee’s head then hit the concrete, causing him to suffer a contusion and later dizziness, headaches and nausea. 

The case was investigated by Sergeant Amy Morin of the New York City Police Department’s Internal Affairs Bureau, under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Internal Affairs Joseph Reznick. 

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Marc Fliedner, Chief of the District Attorney’s Civil Rights Bureau and Assistant District Attorney India Sneed, also of the Civil Rights Bureau, under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney William E. Schaeffer, Chief of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division.

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