By Charles Sweeney
Brooklyn Daily Eagle

JAY STREET — Hate was on the docket Friday when an 18-year-old charged with intentional murder in the stabbing death of a 20-year-old gay man last spring appeared in Brooklyn Supreme Court on Wednesday. He appeared at a pre-trial hearing as the case moves toward a trial.

The defendant, Omar Willock, is charged with a hate crimes offense for the May 12, 2007 murder, a distinction that raises the charge against him to first-degree murder, according to Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes.

At Willock’s arraignment last spring, Hynes told reporters that Willock “shouted anti-gay remarks� at Roberto Duncanson, taunting him even as he tried to get away from Willock.

Willock allegedly followed Duncanson, who’d been trying to avoid the confrontation, which had its roots in an verbal exchange earlier that same night, when angry words were exchanged between the two men. Willock had claimed that Duncanson stared at him in an unwanted manner, though the incident did not become violent.

When Duncanson returned along the same route later that evening, Willock is alleged to have renewed his taunts. Witnesses told police the two engaged in a brief fistfight, culminating in a chase that ended with Duncanson’s stabbing death.

Five days after the incident, police from the 77th Precinct took Willock into custody and charged him with second-degree murder and illegal weapons possession.

After prosecutors from the Brooklyn DA’s office investigated the case further, the decision to pursue a hate crimes indictment against Willock was made. If he is convicted of first-degree murder as a hate crime, Willock faces life behind without parole.

Friday’s hearing took place before state Supreme Court Justice Neil Firetog, who is presiding over the proceedings, while Assistant District Attorney Howard Jackson is handling the prosecution. Defense attorney Benjamin Heinrich is representing Willock.

Willock’s next scheduled court appearance was not available by press time.

© Brooklyn Daily Eagle 2008
All materials posted on BrooklynEagle.com are protected by United States copyright law.
Just a reminder, though -- It’s not considered polite to paste the entire story on your blog. Most blogs post a summary or the first paragraph,( 40 words) then post a link to the rest of the story. That helps increase click-throughs for everyone, and minimizes copyright issues. So please keep posting, but not the entire article. arturc at att.net

Main Office 718 422 7400