The lead prosecutor in the murder trial of a man accused of fatally shooting Demitri Hampton in a January 2013 home invasion resigned at the request of Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota today, after prosecutors were forced to accept a guilty plea to attempted burglary.
“The conduct of the assigned prosecutor in this case was inexcusable resulting in further pain to the family of Demitri Hampton,” Suffolk District Attorney spokesperson Robert Clifford said. “Our prosecutors work tirelessly to make sure that does not happen,” he said. “Unfortunately in this case, we failed with a devastating result.”
District Attorney Thomas Spota asked for the resignation of assistant district attorney Glenn Kurtzrock, the lead prosecutor in the trial of Messiah Booker, who prosecutors said fatally shot Hampton and on trial for second-degree murder and first-degree burglary.
The plea deal came about after it was revealed that investigators failed to turn over to defense attorneys more than 100 pages of notes, including evidence others had confessed to the shooting, according to a report in the News-Review, which has been covering the trial proceedings since they began April 25.
Prosecutors have a legal obligation to turn over to defense attorneys favorable information that’s helpful to the defense.
Booker will serve five years on the attempted burglary conviction under the plea deal.
Booker’s co-defendant Corry Wallace, who was also charged with second-degree murder, previously entered a deal with prosecutors, pleading guilty to manslaughter in exchange for his testimony against Booker. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Two other co-defendants, Michael Parrish of Coram and Danielle Hall of Calverton, await trial. Prosecutors said Hall was the getaway driver while Booker, Wallace and Parrish carried out the home invasion. Parrish and Hall are also facing charges of murder in the second degree and burglary in the first degree. Because Hampton was killed during the commission of a felony, all the perpetrators of the felony can be convicted of murder. Both have entered pleas of not guilty.
Hampton, 21, was killed on January 27, 2013 when armed burglars in the middle of the night burst into his cousin’s Flanders residence, where he was staying. He was shot in the chest as he struggled with two masked men, who held his girlfriend and cousin at gunpoint.
Hampton was a a 2010 graduate of Riverhead High School was in his final semester at Suffolk County Community College, where he was set to graduate with an associate’s degree in criminal justice.
The death of the affable, friendly and funny young man stunned the Riverhead community.
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