Queens man sentenced to life in prison

Radcliffe Meeks, 33, of 184-28 North Conduit Avenue in Saint Albans, was convicted on March 9, of Attempted Murder in the First Degree, Aggravated Assault Upon a Police Officer, Assault in the First Degree and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree for the near-fatal throat slashing of an on-duty police officer in Jamaica last year. Meeks was sentenced to an indeterminate term of 25 years to life in prison.
On the evening of March 22, 2005 at the intersection of Dunkirk Street and Elmira Avenue, Police Officer Robert Burns of the 113th Precinct Street Narcotics Unit, and his partner were arresting the defendant in response to a 911 call from a homeowner who reported that a man had threatened to shoot him.
During the arrest, Meeks pulled out a carpet knife and slashed Officer Burns’ throat and hand. The knife missed Officer Burns’ carotid artery by a fraction of an inch. The defendant continued to struggle with Officer Burns and was only disarmed when Officer Burns’ partner, Officer Shannon Pearl, fired a shot, striking the defendant in the right elbow.
This case is a reminder of the demanding and dangerous challenges that police officers face in protecting the public,” said Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown.