19 YEAR OLD BRONX MAN CONVICTED OF MURDERING FELLOW ‘BLOODS’ GANG MEMBER IN TURF DISPUTE OVER CRACK COCAINE SALES

Bronx District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced today that a nineteen year old member of the "Bloods" street gang has been convicted of Murder in the 2nd degree, and Criminal possession of a weapon in the 2nd degree, in the shooting death of a fellow gang member because of a turf dispute over sales of crack cocaine.

Michael Burgess, of 3400 Paul Avenue, the Bronx, was found guilty of shooting Jason Earl Russell, 18, once in the head on September 9, 2002. A co-defendant, Lamar Conner, 22, of 120 Dreiser Loop, Co-op City, last month pled guilty to Manslaughter in the 1st degree for his role in the fatal shooting.

State Supreme Court Justice Richard Price set sentencing for both defendants on Wednesday, March 10, 2004 in Part T-16. Burgess is facing a maximum sentence of up to 25 years to life imprisonment on the murder charge and up to 15 years imprisonment on the weapons charge. Conner, under terms of the plea agreement, will be sentenced to 13 and a half years imprisonment on the manslaughter conviction.

Russell was gunned down on the steps in front of 2427 Webster Avenue as he was entering the building. Both Burgess and Conner opened fire from the window of a second floor apartment leaving a single 9 millimeter bullet lodged in the dead man’s brain. Although all three men were "Bloods" gang members, Russell belonged to a Manhattan based faction and had encroached on the defendants’ turf in selling crack cocaine. The jury heard testimony that Russell was murdered in order to eliminate the competition for profits from illegal drug sales.

This is the first gang motivated homicide case prosecuted by the recent merged Gang Initiative and Major Case Bureau. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Christine Scaccia, Director of Gang Prosecutions, and Assistant District Attorney Christiana Stover.