December 10, 1998

JAMAICA MAN CONVICTED OF MURDERING FRIEND AFTER DISPUTE OVER INJURY

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown announced today the conviction of a Jamaica man for the 1997 murder of his friend after a dispute over an injury previously inflicted on the victim by the defendant.

District Attorney Brown identified the defendant as Scott Flowers, 31, of 109-22 203 Street, Jamaica who was convicted of murder in the second degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree after a two week jury trial before Supreme Court Justice Timothy J. Flaherty. The defendant will be sentenced on January 14, 1999 and faces up to life in prison.

According to trial testimony, on the evening of July 4, 1997, the defendant, the victim, Andre Holly and another man decided to go to Colors, a dance club. When they arrived at the club, the defendant accidentally slammed the deceased's hand in the door of the third man's van. The deceased proceeded to complain of the pain caused by the injury and to yell at the defendant. The defendant then asked the third man to drive him back to his car, claiming that the evening had been ruined. Once at his car, the defendant started arguing with the deceased about his behavior. The deceased and the third man then left and drove back to the deceased's house located at 112-31 203rd Street in St. Albans where they sat outside talking in the van. Approximately an hour and a half later, the defendant confronted them. The defendant pulled out a gun and shot the deceased in the eye and drove off. The third man and another witness notified the police. Two months later the police located the defendant in Nassau County and arrested him.

Assistant District Attorney Michelle E. Goldstein of the Homicide Trial Bureau under the supervision of Bureau Chief Daniel A. Saunders and Robert C. Ciesla of the Integrity Bureau under the supervision of Bureau Chief Vincent J. Carroll prosecuted the case.