Labor Day Killer Gets 24 Years in Prison

A 28-year-old Crown Heights man has been sentenced to 24 years in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree manslaughter for fatally shooting 55-year-old Michael Sampson during the J’Ouvert celebration that was held in advance of the 2014 West Indian Day Parade in Crown Heights.

Derek Goodings, 28, of Crown Heights, Brooklyn, pled guilty last month to first-degree manslaughter charges and was sentenced Friday to 24 years behind bars. Goodings pleaded guilty shortly after jury selection in his trial had commenced.

Acting District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said that, according to the defendant’s allocution, on September 1, 2014, at approximately 3:30am, in the vicinity of Empire Boulevard, during the J’Ouvert celebration that precedes the annual West Indian Day Parade, the defendant fired a loaded weapon into a crowd of people. He fired five times, striking Michael Sampson, 55, in the chest, killing him and injuring another man. He also fired at an unmarked police van in which a uniformed police officer was sitting, striking it.

Goodings then fled the scene and, while he was being chased by police, turned his gun on an officer, who discharged his service weapon.

8 Comments

  • Dov Ber

    And Rubashkin is NOT a murderur……Stupid justice, & stupid Reed……Ye…..Sh……Don’t get me started…….

  • No justice.

    the only reason this Drerk NoGoodniks got convicted is because the victim was a black man working for the Coumo administration.
    This criminal and many more like him should be locked up for life and not given another chance to hurt society.

  • related post

    just below the article “robber who shot victims sentenced to life”
    There is no standard penalty.
    Just heard Malaysia has a mandatory death penalty for all convicted murderers.
    Here you get harsher penalties for kicking the cat that from kicking the cat’s owner!
    Criminal justice system in in need of CPR
    Sentencing depends on judge’s mood that day. If he got a belly ache from lunch or had a fight with his wife, the sentence will be longer and harsher.
    If he just got back from vacation and is still bragging about his tan, it’s a good day for animals.
    At least this creep is off the street for 15-20 years tills he’s out on parole. Way to short for his crime, but at least something.