Conviction Last Week In Lunchtime Killer Caught Red Handed Steps From Courthouse

Last week, Bronx County District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced the conviction of street vendor Horace Coleman in a five-week-long jury trial for a midday double-shooting two years ago that took place not only in the shadow of Yankee Stadium, but also the back yard of the very courthouse where the trial took place.

On August 23rd, 2012, the streets around E. 161st Street & Gerard Avenue were busy with lunch-hour crowds when Coleman drew a fully-loaded Magnum .357 revolver and fired at Clarence Pearson, age 41 and Douglas Watkins, age 60, in a dispute over borrowed money.

Because of the location’s proximity to the Bronx courthouses, four court officers who were in the immediate area gave chase, surrounding Coleman, who had walked a block away across 161st Street.  The defendant, dressed in a pinstriped suit and a white fedora, dropped his gun and surrendered.

Pearson succumbed to his injuries two days after the shooting while Watkins, who was also shot in the abdomen, survived and testified at trial

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Susanna Imbo of Trial Bureau A34.

Coleman faces a prison sentence of 25 years-to-life on the murder charge; 25 years on the attempted murder charge, and up to 15 years behind bars on each of the gun charges.

He is being held without bail and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 27th before State Supreme Court Justice William Mogulescu, Part H77.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email