Bennett
KINGSTON – The murder conviction of Basheem Bennett, who pled guilty
to the fatal shooting of 29-year-old Ryan Gray and seriously injuring
Ida Samantha David, Gray’s fiancé and mother of his child,
was unanimously affirmed by the Appellate Division, Third Department,
of State Supreme Court in Albany.
Bennett was convicted on November 13, 2015 on his guilty plea to killing
Gray at Murphy’s Bar.
According to witnesses, when Bennett entered the bar and spotted Gray,
he fired three shots, two of which struck Gray in the neck and chest.
The third bullet struck David in the chest.
The motive for the crime was retaliation by Bennett against Gray for the
murder of a friend of Bennett’s six months earlier in the City of
Poughkeepsie.
As per Bennett’s plea agreement, he said he would testify at the
trial of anyone else involved in the shooting in exchange for an 18-year-to-life
sentence. However, when Bennett was called to testify against Taquon Webb,
a codefendant, he invoked his Fifth Amendment privilege, refusing to testify,
thus violating the agreement.
As a result, County Court Judge Donald Williams imposed a sentence of
25 years to life in prison.
On appeal, Bennett argued his sentence was unduly harsh and severe, a
claim that was precluded by his valid waiver of appeal.
