One of three men accused of killing a police officer and wounding his partner during a traffic stop in Brooklyn [in July 2007] was acquitted of aggravated murder and attempted murder on Wednesday.
Jurors convicted Robert Ellis only on three counts of weapons possession. He now faces five to 15 years in prison — far less than the life in prison without parole that he could have received for murder.
Dexter Bostic and Lee Woods are still awaiting verdicts in the case, which was tried by three separate juries because the men made statements implicating each other.
Prosecutors said the three acted as a team to shoot the officers (reported HERE on YWN) because they were caught with a stolen SUV and with illegal weapons in the vehicle. They said Bostic shot and killed Officer Russel Timoshenko while Ellis simultaneously shot now-Detective Herman Yan, while Woods was the driver.
“I am stunned and disappointed by the verdict,” NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly told WCBSTV. “My prayers are with the Timoshenko family as they contend with this ordeal.”
PHOTO LINK: Click HERE to see YWN photos taken at Officer Timoshenko’s funeral.
(Source: WCBSTV)
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6 Responses
There is nothing shocking about it. A shocking headline would be if he was convicted. Everyone knows that there is no justice in America. But don’t worry the police officer who did whatever to Abner Oulima got 30 years to life. I know -I know- what he did was worse than murder. We live in a country that doesn’t sanctify life.
Note that the prosecutor was relying on testimony of the criminals to convict the criminals. Perhaps they should understand (and if he was frum, he would have seen it studying gemara), that the testimony of a criminal has little value since the person is afterall, a criminal. Why should a jury believe the testimony of someone whom the prosecutor insists is a criminal, and may be easily bribed by an offer of lenient treatment for incriminating his fellow criminal.
This reflects poorly on the competence of the prosecutor.
can you imagine if the victim was BLACK? like in the Sean Bell case? the blacks would have already burnt down NYC and looted all the electronics stores,and would have used shopping carts to move and steal the projection TV sets. and then Dinkins would have said to the citizens”theyre just VENTING” Thank goodness,the cops and victims were WHITE.
I do not live in NYC and I know nothing about this case. I object to using opinionated wording in headlines, which YWN does quite often. Please just give me the facts and let me decide for myself whether I think it’s “shocking” or not.
Before you take upon yourself to describe the verdict as shocking, did you sit in the courtroom with a jury of 12 rational people, examine all the evidence that they were presented with and then hear a statement from the judge of the law that they are required to follow in applying the law to the facts? Until you’ve done that, you have no business making judgments about the verdict. In the vast majority of cases, the decisions are proper based on the facts, evidence and the law.
Because it is not the result that Yeshiva World would have desired does not make it shocking.
And why would you have wanted him convicted? Do you have inside information about his guilt? If you do, why didn’t you share it with the prosecutor and with the court?
Dexter Bostic guilty on all counts in cop slay
A jury convicted triggerman Dexter Bostic Friday night of murdering Officer Russel Timoshenko, ensuring he will rot in prison.
Cop killer Dexter Bostic says ‘Goodbye, Mama’
Hour’s before a jury nailed him for murder – dooming him to a lifetime in a cage – Dexter Bostic walked into a packed courtroom and mouthed the words, “Hello, Mama