Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Jury convicts teen of killing another teen last year


A Rochester teenager was convicted today of slaying another teen last year.

State Supreme Court jurors acquitted De’Shequan L. Nathan, 17, of second-degree murder but convicted him of first-degree manslaughter in the shooting of Christopher Jones, 16, on Nov. 17, 2007.

Nathan, who unsuccessfully claimed he was drunk and was defending a friend in a fight, faces a mandatory prison term ranging from five years to 25 years when Justice Joseph D. Valentino sentences him Sept. 18, said Assistant District Attorney Avik Ganguly.

“We’re pleased with the verdict and the fact that the jury saw through the defendant’s claims that he was too drunk and was justified in this horrible act,” Ganguly said.

Jones was gunned down with one shot fired from a sawed-off .22-caliber rifle at Lexington Avenue and Pierpont Street. His brother, Mace Forbes, 24, was shot and wounded a couple of houses away from the same corner on July 15.

Jones and another teen got into a fist fight because the other teen was upset that his 13-year-old female cousin was hanging around with Jones, the prosecution said.

A friend of Jones pulled him away from the fight, but Jones ran back and landed another punch, according to testimony. Witnesses said Nathan, a friend of the teen with whom Jones fought, pulled out his rifle, raised it at Jones and fired, hitting Jones in the chest.

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