A Brooklyn gunman was convicted of manslaughter but acquitted of murder Tuesday for a brutal street killing sparked when his girlfriend insulted another woman’s hair weave – as disgusted jurors slammed the shooting as “stupid” and “ridiculous.”
Denzel Holder, 21, was also convicted of an illegal gun charge and will face up to 25 years behind bars when he is sentenced March 25 for shooting Shawn Williams, 19, in the Crown Heights beef sparked when Holder’s gal pal made fun of Williams’ girlfriend’s hair in August 2011.
“If it didn’t end in murder it would have been comical,” said one female juror who declined to give her name.
“It was over a weave. That’s absolutely ridiculous, but people do stupid things,” said another female juror, 21.
“It’s tragic. It’s stupid. It’s sad,” said a male juror. “It took one life and ruined another.”
Holder remained stone-faced and silent as the verdict was passed down in Brooklyn Supreme Court on Tuesday. His supporters filled the gallery behind him while Williams’ family packed the rows behind prosecutor Edward Purce.
“If you shoot someone in the back and then you stand over him and shoot again, ain’t that murder?” said Williams frustrated stepfather, Leonard Saunders, 50.
“I thought he should get murder. I want the max,” said Williams’ mom Dierdra Haynes, 51.
The jury voted to acquit Holder of murder because when he stood over Williams and fired he missed once and hit in “less-destructive” parts of the body like his lower back, said the 21-year-old female juror.