A Jamaica man was convicted of possessing a weapon that was used during a dispute with his neighborhood that led to a shooting on Christmas Day in 2017, prosecutors announced Monday.
Charles Murphy, 30, was found guilty of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon following a bench trail. Murphy is due back in court for sentencing on April 15, where he’ll face five to 15 years in prison.
“An argument between two neighbors escalated into a senseless gun violence. The defendant fired his weapon three times at the victim to settle a dispute,” said Chief Assistant District Attorney John M. Ryan. “Despite being shot at numerous times, the victim was able to escape the incident unharmed. After weighing the evidence, the defendant was found guilty of criminal possession of a weapon and now faces prison time for his actions.”
According to trial testimony, at 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 25, 2017, Murphy got into an argument with his 19-year-old neighbor in front of Murphy’s Waltham Street home. After the argument, the two men went back into their homes, but Murphy reemerged moments later with a gun.
The neighbor, who had come back outside, was standing on his porch when surveillance video captured Murphy firing three shots in the neighbor’s direction. The neighbor ran and was able to avoid being shot. Police recovered one bullet fired from Murphy’s weapon in a neighbor’s residence.
