A Jamaica resident faces 25 years to life for brutally stabbing and killing a man inside his home back in 2017.
According to Acting Queens District Attorney John M. Ryan, 45-year-old Marquis Copeland cornered 39-year-old Flushing resident Christopher Cody in his basement and repeatedly stabbed him to death with a kitchen knife.
After a nearly two-week-long trial, a jury found Copeland guilty of second-degree murder and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
“The defendant in this case flew into a rage and viciously attacked the victim with a knife inside of a home where he was staying in Jamaica, Queens. The victim bled to death on the basement floor. A jury weighed the evidence presented at trial and rendered a guilty verdict. The defendant now faces the possibility of spending the rest of his days locked behind bars,” Ryan said.
In November 2017, Cody showed up at Copeland’s home at 116th Avenue to settle an ongoing dispute, according to trial testimony. Copeland’s acquaintance greeted Cody at the door and let him into the house.
Cody reportedly headed to the basement, opened the door and was met by Copeland who attacked him with a knife. Copeland then fled the scene following the attack.
Acting DA Ryan said that the defendant stabbed the victim in his face, torso and body. Trial testimony said that Cody sustained a total of 12 knife wounds and subsequently bled to death.
Copeland’s sentences is set for Sept. 5, where he faces 25 years to life in prison.
