Sorry to be late on this one. A Brooklyn jury convicts a teen of second degree murder in the death of a young black gay man he claimed flirted with him.
Nineteen-year-old Omar Willock was charged with fatally stabbing 20-year-old Roberto Duncanson to death on May 12, 2007. Witnesses and the prosecution said the two men passed each other on a Crown Heights street. Willock claimed Duncanson looked at him suggestively and flirted with him, so he followed him for several blocks, yelled anti-gay and
homophobic epithets and fatally stabbed him.
Willock had been charged with murder as a hate crime but last week Justice Neil Jon Firetog ruled the prosecution failed to make a strong enough case for the hate crime charge to hold. Despite eyewitnesses and surveillance video, the defense tried to raise reasonable doubt.
The defense argued that Toon had mistaken Omar for his identical twin,
Omari, and wanted to introduce testimony from a Manhattan police
detective that Omari was wanted in a stabbing while Omar was in jail
for the Duncanson killing. Firetog would not allow it, saying that
evidence was not relevant.
[Beriah Wall, one of the jurors] said the jury "had some wind
of that" and that the defense "muddied" the case for the jurors, but
that questions about Willock's identical twin ultimately did not sway
them.
"Omari was eliminated because the detective said he was
not a suspect in this crime," Wall said. "The twin was obfuscation as
far as we were concerned."
Roberto Duncanson, nicknamed "Pancho", was out to coworkers and close friends but not his mother or family. In an interview shortly after he was killed, his mother said he was a loving son with "the heart of a lion."
It took four days for the jury to reach a decision. Omar Willock faces up to 25 years to life behind bars when he is sentenced. Conviction on the enhanced hate crime penalty would have been an automatic life sentence.
Guilty Verdict in 2007 Murder [GCN]
Some Background ...
Brooklyn Murder Trial Goes to Jury [R20]
Trial Begins in Brooklyn Gay Hate Crime Murder [R20]
Good news, and, while that lame Judge said it wasn't a hate crime, and, my real name is Cher, I sure hope he gets the full sentence as the jury has spoken.
Posted by: Luther | 20 March 2009 at 13:30
This thug deserves life behind bars. So cowardly and disgusting. I hope he rots and forver thinks about what he did.
Posted by: M. Mark | 20 March 2009 at 13:30
"Willock claimed Duncanson looked at him suggestively and flirted with him, so he followed him for several blocks, yelled anti-gay and homophobic epithets and fatally stabbed him."
Sounds like a hate crime to me. What more "proof" do you need?
Posted by: Carlos | 20 March 2009 at 13:33
Oh and welcome back Rod! Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your mom.
Posted by: Carlos | 20 March 2009 at 13:34
it is confusing why the judge dropped the hate crime charge???
Posted by: Sean B | 20 March 2009 at 13:39
amen
welcome back rod
we missed you!
love
ab
Posted by: alicia banks | 20 March 2009 at 14:16
Thank you for the update, Rod. I'm upset that the judge dropped the hate crime, but at least he was found guilty of the most serious charge against him. I was afraid they would choose the lesser first degree manslaughter charge. Let's hope that the judge puts him away for life. Many judges don't like mandatory sentences. I wonder if that played a part in his decision to drop the hate crime count. Again, put this "thing" behind bars for a long time. I wonder how long he would have to serve before being eligible for parole?
Posted by: Ravenback | 20 March 2009 at 14:25
He'll probably be a relatively young man, less than 50 years old, when he gets out of jail. I'm not wishing bad things on people, but I wouldn't be upset if he doesn't make it all the way through his time in prison. I know, you don't have to say it. That is wrong.
Posted by: Ravenback | 20 March 2009 at 14:37
ravenback:
what i love is saying what you really feel...regardless!
it is ALWAYS better to have one wrong:
hard honesty
rather than 2 wrongs:
an ulcer
&
a lie
peace
ab
Posted by: alicia banks | 20 March 2009 at 15:35
Let's hope jailhouse justice prevails the day little bad ass decides to mouth off with the wrong con behind bars.
The day he gives in to gay sex in any way, shape or form will be the day he became the very thing he killed. At his age and the amount of years he will spend behind bars......well hey, need I say more?
Posted by: gurlene | 21 March 2009 at 07:02
Gurlene is absolutely right. It's a shame and disgrace the hate crime charge was dropped. But let;s hope for some good ole fashioned jailhouse justice for this cowardly MF.
Posted by: Dalton H | 21 March 2009 at 13:43
I am glad he got his...
Posted by: thegaytekeeper | 23 March 2009 at 08:59