Syracuse, NY - A Syracuse man’s sentencing in the fatal shooting of another man in January was postponed today to give the defendant some time to consider his request to back out of the plea deal. Curtis N. Henderson, 18, of 545 W. Ostrander Ave., was to have been sentenced by state Supreme Court Justice John Brunetti to serve 12...
Syracuse, NY - A Syracuse man’s sentencing in the fatal shooting of another man in January was postponed today to give the defendant some time to consider his request to back out of the plea deal.
Curtis N. Henderson, 18, of 545 W. Ostrander Ave., was to have been sentenced by state Supreme Court Justice John Brunetti to serve 12 years in state prison for first-degree manslaughter in the Jan. 8 death of Raymond Johnson Jr.
Johnson was sitting in a sport utility vehicle in the 100 block of Richardson Avenue when he was shot at close range. He was found dead behind the wheel after the vehicle ran off the street, through a yard and crashed into a tree behind 148 Richardson Ave.
Police said Henderson and Johnson were rival drug dealers involved in an ongoing feud.
Brunetti reminded Henderson in court today that the plea deal was to include a concurrent sentence for a felony drug case still pending. That drug case, carrying a maximum penalty of nine years, would still be hanging over Henderson’s head if he backs out of the deal, defense lawyer Michael Spano said.
Should Henderson withdraw his guilty plea, he also could face a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison if he went to trial and was convicted of the manslaughter charge, Brunetti warned. Even if Henderson were to be acquitted of manslaughter and convicted only of a companion charge of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, he would face up to 15 years in prison, the judge added.
Brunetti adjourned the case to next week to give Henderson time to consider his options and to allow Chief Assistant District Attorney Christine Garvey time to prepare any prosecution argument against the plea withdrawal.