By Craig Giammona
McGriff was convicted earlier this month of narcotics trafficking and paying hitmen $50,000 to kill two southeast Queens men in 2001. However, the same jury that found him guilty of arranging the murders of Troy Singleton and Eric Smith could not unanimously agree that McGriff, who previously served 10 years in prison on drug charges, should be put to death. In fact, published reports indicated that only three of 12 jurors voted to give McGriff a lethal injection for his crimes.Robert Nardoza, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office in Brooklyn, said he did not know the result of the jury's vote, but a unanimous decision was not reached. A vote of 12-0 was required to put McGriff to death.McGriff has not been formally sentenced, but is expected to live out the rest of his life behind bars without the possibility of parole, Nardoza said.”It's a formality at this point,” Nardoza said.Nardoza said Tuesday the official sentencing has not yet been scheduled.McGriff is the former leader of the “Supreme Team,” a ruthless drug gang that held sway in southeast Queens during the 1980s, when the crack epidemic was ravaging urban neighborhoods across the county. McGriff spent 10 years in jail on drug charges but was released in 1999 and returned to drug dealing.He was convicted on Feb. 1 of operating a stash house outside Baltimore that distributed crack, heroin and cocaine. He was also convicted of ordering and arranging the murders of Smith and Singleton, both alleged enemies of McGriff. Both men were shot dead in 2001, Smith in July and Singleton in October. Reach reporter Craig Giammona by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 146.
