BRONX MAN IS CONVICTED ON ASSAULT CHARGES FOR HIS ROLE IN A MOVIE THEATRE SHOOTING

Bronx District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced today that a 24 year-old Bronx man has been found guilty of assault and reckless endangerment for his role in a shooting at Bay Plaza Cinema, which left two victims injured, one of whom is permanently disabled.

A jury convicted Darnell Macon, of 2175 Reed Mill Lane, on 2 counts of Assault in the 1st degree and 1 count of Reckless Endangerment in the 1st degree in the early morning shooting in which two innocent bystanders were wounded. Macon faces a maximum term of up to 25 years imprisonment when he appears before Acting State Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Straus for sentencing on Wednesday, May 29, 2002 in Part T21.

Macon and three others were charged with acting in concert in the shooting which occurred at the Bay Plaza Cinema Multiplex Theatre at 2100 Bartow Avenue on August 19, 2000 at about 12:50 AM. As moviegoers were exiting the theatre three of the defendants began shooting at each other. A stray bullet struck 24 year-old Tamara Rondon in the elbow, which shattered the bone causing permanent nerve damage. Also injured was 5 year-old Ronald Brown. He was shot in the foot.

Co-defendant Kassim Holiday, 25, pled guilty last December to Reckless Endangerment and was sentenced to an indeterminate term of up to 4 years imprisonment. Malik Thomas, 25, who was convicted last January of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 2nd degree and Reckless Endangerment in the 1st degree, was sentenced to a term of 5 years imprisonment on the gun charge and up to 3 years imprisonment for reckless endangerment to be served consecutively, for a total of 8 years imprisonment. Charges for Rashaan Powell, 26, were dismissed.

Assistant District Attorney Edward Starishevsky of the Trial Division prosecuted these cases.