By Nathan Duke
Denworth Davidson, of 963 East 78th St. in Brooklyn, was convicted by a jury in October of murder, robbery, criminal possession of a weapon and conspiracy and Queens Supreme Court Justice Robert Hanophy gave him a life sentence in state prison on Jan. 9, Queens DA Richard Brown said.”I hope that all of those affected by this tragic incident can find some degree of solace in today's sentence and in the knowledge that the defendant will spend the rest of his life behind bars as punishment for his action,” the DA said.Davidson shot Bruce Levy, co-owner of the Red Cap Valet at 35-45 35th St. in Long Island City, in the throat and arm during the robbery on Oct. 7, 2004, Brown said. The victim was a husband and a grandfather, he said.The Brooklyn man rode to the dry cleaning business with Jerome Fletcher, a Farmingdale resident who previously worked at Red Cap, and the two men robbed Levy of $10,000 in front of the store, Brown said. Davidson shot Levy after he refused to give up the money and fled the scene in a car driven by Fletcher, he said. Fletcher ran off to Orlando, Fla. after the robbery but was later extradited, convicted of armed robbery and evidence tampering in November 2006 after a two-week jury trial and sentenced to 29 years to life in prison, the DA said. He had confirmed the payroll time and delivery information from Davia Gabriel, 28, of Brooklyn, one week prior to the robbery, he said.Gabriel, who was employed at Red Cap and was aware of the plans to rob the business, pleaded guilty before Hanophy last week to attempted robbery and was sentenced to time served, which allows her to walk free after having spent two years in jail, the DA said.Stacey Whitaker, Fletcher's 30-year-old girlfriend, pleaded guilty in March 2005 in Queens Supreme Court to lending her Honda to Fletcher and Davidson for the robbery as well as depositing $4,000 from the robbery into her account at the Rockville Centre bank branch where she worked, the DA said. She later withdrew the money and gave it to Fletcher, he said. Both Gabriel and Whitaker testified against Fletcher as part of a plea deal, he said.Mozart Findlay, 29, who has no known address, pleaded guilty in July 2005 to felony conspiracy in the incident is awaiting sentencing, the DA said.Reach reporter Nathan Duke by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 156.
