NEW YORK CITY CORRECTION OFFICER CONVICTED OF RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT IN SHOOTING INCIDENT IN A BRONX PLAYGROUND

Bronx District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced today that a veteran New York City Correction Officer, assigned to the City jail on Rikers Island, has been convicted of reckless endangerment for shooting a man in a Bronx playground, during a dispute involving their children.

A jury found Co-op City resident Dwane Morrison, 39, guilty of Reckless Endangerment in the 1st degree, a Class D felony offense punishable by a maximum sentence of up to seven years imprisonment. State Supreme Court Justice Dominick Massaro set sentencing for Tuesday, August 5, 2003 in Part T-14.

The shooting occurred in a playground on Throop and Allerton Avenues on Sunday, May 19, 2002. Morrison and another man, Anthony Martinez, 38, were drawn into a dispute involving Martinez’ eight year old daughter and Morrison’s five year old son. The verbal exchange between the two men escalated when Martinez punched Morrison before attempting to leave the playground with his brother, along with his sixteen year old son and eight year old daughter. Morrison pursued the group and drew his weapon. The jury heard testimony that Martinez apologized and pleaded with Morrison not to shoot. Morrison told the men what he was a peace officer but showed no identification, and ordered them to lie down on the ground. Afraid of being harmed, Martinez and his brother did not comply and instead ran toward the defendant The jury heard testimony that Morrison fired five shots, one of which hit Martinez in the right leg. During the ensuing struggle, Martinez and his brother managed to disarm Morrison and left the playground with the defendant’s gun. Martinez went to Jacobi Hospital for treatment and gave the gun to police officers who happened to be in the Emergency Room.. Morrison, meanwhile, went to the 47th Precinct to file a complaint against Martinez. He told police that he had been attacked and was forced to fire his weapon in self defense. However, interviews with witnesses at the playground indicated that Morrison had been the aggressor and that contrary to his testimony at trial, numerous shots were fired at the victim and his family. Morrison testified that he had fired a single shot even though crime scene detectives had recovered five discharged shell casings from his gun.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Assistant District Attorney Donald Levin of the Investigations Division’s Rackets Bureau.