Ronell Wilson

Case record: Ronell Wilson

Ronell Wilson was federally sentenced to death on January 30, 2007.

Background

Ronell Wilson was tried in federal court over the March 10, 2003 killings of two undercover New York City police detectives in Staten Island, New York.

Prosecutors alleged Wilson was the leader of a violent drug gang called the Stapleton Crew, which they said originated in the Stapleton housing projects of Staten Island. Witnesses at the trial denied using that label.

The offence

Wilson was convicted of the 2003 capital murders of two undercover NYC police officers in Staten Island, New York.

The prosecutors sought to prove that detectives intended to buy a Tec-9 pistol from one of Wilson’s associates, Omar Green, as part of an undercover investigation. Prosecutors alleged that Wilson and other men set up a fake gun deal as part of a plan to rob the detectives. The detectives were shot and killed as they drove Wilson (then 20) and another man, Jesse Jacobus (then 17), to buy the gun.

Detective James V. Nemorin, 36, was driving and Detective Rodney J. Andrews was in the front passenger seat, with Wilson on the left and Jacobus on the right. A backup team that was following the detectives lost them in a hilly section of Staten Island.

In testimony described at trial, Wilson ordered Detective Nemorin to pull over and then shot Detective Andrews in the back of the head. Wilson then turned and pressed the muzzle of the gun against Detective Nemorin’s head and fired.

After the killings, Wilson searched the detectives and stole their car.

Investigation

A surveillance transmitter disguised as a pager was worn by one of the detectives’ supervisors’ team. Their supervisor, Sgt. Richard Abbate, found the detectives’ bodies shortly after losing the signal.

Sergeant Abbate testified that Detective Andrews had sustained a wound to his head and that he approached Detective Nemorin and saw a long line of blood coming from his head.

Bloody clothing that authorities said belonged to Wilson was seized in an apartment near the site of the killings. The murder weapon was also recovered.

Arrest and evidence at trial

At trial, prosecutors said they planned to call experts including ballistics, blood spatter, hair and fiber and handwriting experts, as well as an expert in DNA analysis. Prosecutors did not specify what the DNA expert’s testimony would focus on.

The defence asked the judge to bar handwritten rap lyrics found in Wilson’s possession when he was arrested from being used as evidence. Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis ruled that the lyrics would be allowed, stating that they “describe activity which resembles aspects of the central crime,” the murders of the detectives, “and appear to have been written after that crime was committed.”

The content of the lyrics was filed under seal and was not disclosed. The judge said that the lyrics “were written in the first person, also contain references to Wilson’s physical appearance and to his street name, Rated R.”

The New York Post report of the lyrics included this misspelled text: “You better have that vast and dat Golock. Leave a 45 slogs in da back of ya head. Cause I'm getting dat bread, ain't goin stop to I'm dead.”

Trial

Court and judge

Wilson’s trial began on November 27, 2006. The trial was before Judge Nicholas Garaufis of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

Last summer, the judge ordered that the jury be anonymous and partially sequestered. The jurors would arrive at and leave the courthouse under the supervision of deputy United States marshals. The judge cited the seriousness of the charges, the violent nature of the Stapleton crew, and instances in which associates were said to have attempted to coerce witnesses not to testify or cooperate with authorities, as well as news media attention.

A pretrial hearing included a statement by prosecutor Jack Smith: “The defendant has been threatening witnesses, plain and simple, through his associates.”

Charges in the federal indictment

The indictment against Wilson included:

• two counts of murder in aid of racketeering,
• two robbery conspiracy counts,
• one attempted robbery count,
• one count of carjacking,
• two counts of use of a firearm,
• and two counts of causing a death with a firearm.

He was also charged with obstruction of justice murder, based on the account of co-defendant Omar Green, who told authorities that Wilson knew the two men were detectives when he shot them. Green later changed his account and the charges were dropped.

Jury verdict

On December 20, 2006, Wilson was found guilty of the capital murders and other related charges.

A federal jury convicted Wilson of ten counts, including murder, carjacking, and firearms charges.

Sentencing

After two days of deliberations, a federal jury sentenced Wilson to death for the March 10, 2003 killings of undercover detectives James Nemorin and Rodney Andrews. The sentencing was on January 30, 2007.

The jury had deliberated for nine hours before announcing the verdict.

A penalty phase would be required if the jury convicted Wilson of any of the five counts that carried a potential death penalty, with the jury voting on whether he should be executed or sentenced to life without parole; the vote had to be unanimous.

Wilson was the first person federally sentenced to death in New York since the federal death penalty was reinstated in 1988, and was described as the first person federally sentenced to the death penalty in New York in over 50 years.

Other legal history and procedural developments

The case was originally brought in state court in Staten Island, where prosecutors sought the death penalty.

In June 2004, the state’s highest court, the Court of Appeals, ruled that part of the state death penalty statute was unconstitutional. Five months later, Wilson and four co-defendants were named in a federal racketeering indictment.

Four co-defendants pleaded guilty to crimes linked to the Stapleton crew; the three other men arrested in the killing pleaded guilty in state court.

Prosecutors dropped obstruction of justice murder charges because a witness crucial to those charges rescinded his earlier account that Wilson knew the men were detectives. That witness and other members were described as members of the Stapleton Crew who sold drugs and guns, shot, robbed and terrorized a path across Staten Island.

People involved

Victims

• Detective James V. Nemorin (36), killed on March 10, 2003.
• Detective Rodney J. Andrews (34), killed on March 10, 2003.

Family members and associates mentioned

• Rose Nemorin, Nemorin’s widow.
• Detective MaryAnn Andrews, Rodney Andrews’ wife.
• Rodney Andrews’ mother, Patricia Marion.
• Wilson’s mother, Cheryl Wilson.
• Wilson’s younger brother, Daniel Wilson.
• Nemorin’s mother-in-law (quoted after the verdict).
• Michael J. Palladino, president of the Detectives’ Endowment Association, which represented the two men.

Prosecutors

• Colleen Kavanagh
• Jack Smith
• Morris J. Fodeman

Defence counsel

• Ephraim Savitt
• Kelly J. Sharkey
• Mitchell Dinnerstein

Other named individuals

• Omar Green (associate; his account changed and obstruction charges were dropped).
• Jesse Jacobus (then 17 during the killings; one of the seven men who pleaded guilty; expected to testify).
• Sgt. Richard Abbate (supervisor who found the bodies).
• Sgt. Richard Abbate’s testimony included observation through the streets of Staten Island while monitoring the signal from the surveillance transmitter.
• Michael Brick (journalist quoted in the narrative framing).
• Stefanie Cohen (journalist quoted in the narrative framing).
• Jabari Asim (Washington Post op-ed author mentioned).

Outcome and reactions

When the verdict was read, the New York Post report described Wilson rolling his eyes and sticking his tongue out in the direction of Nemorin’s widow Rose.

In the account of the January 31, 2007 death sentence coverage, family and friends of the deceased cheered while Wilson’s younger brother shouted after the verdict was read. Nemorin’s mother-in-law said, “You are a dead man!” Wilson’s mother Cheryl said, “Y'all the murderers now.”

Ephraim Savitt, Wilson’s lawyer, was quoted: “He took it stoically,” and “He expected the verdict. He's fighting for his life.”

Deputy Inspector Vincent Di Donato was quoted: “It's the worst thing that ever happened to me in my life, when he took [Rodney] and James for no reason,” and Unit member Al Hawkins was quoted: “I feel like there's a God. I feel good that justice was served.”

Rose Nemorin was quoted: “Justice is served. I trust in the Lord and the Lord has served. Jim can rest now. Rest, Jim, rest. We love you.”

The report also quoted Deputy Inspector Vincent Di Donato and Al Hawkins in connection with the sentence coverage.

Timeline

• March 10, 2003 — Undercover detectives James V. Nemorin (36) and Rodney J. Andrews (34) were shot and killed in Staten Island, New York, during a gun deal gone awry.
• June 2004 — The New York Court of Appeals ruled that part of the state death penalty statute was unconstitutional.
• November 27, 2006 — Wilson’s trial began in federal court.
• December 20, 2006 — Wilson was found guilty of capital murders and other related charges.
• January 30, 2007 — Wilson was sentenced to death by a federal jury.
• January 31, 2007 — A reported death-penalty sentencing decision was described as occurring after two days of deliberations.

Aftermath

Wilson was held at the United States Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Mayor Bloomberg was quoted calling the officers “selfless heroes who put their lives on the line to get illegal guns off the streets of our city.”

Wilson’s reaction during the verdict was described as sticking his tongue out in the direction of Nemorin’s widow Rose, which was denounced by local tabloids.

Quotations

“What is the big deal?”
— One detective asked the two men in his car, according to a surveillance tape transcript provided by prosecutors.

“I know. Everybody’s leery. Listen, I’m leery, I’m leery too. I, I understand. I don’t want to get caught up.”
— One detective, according to a surveillance tape transcript provided by prosecutors.

“There’s nothing to worry about,”
— Detective Nemorin, according to the recording played in court.

“Look, we’re not going to deal in front of him, O.K.? I’m coming. I could step out and we do the deal outside.”

“That ain’t how Frankie run business, yo,”
— The voice attributed to Wilson, according to the recording played in court.

“It’s mad hot, man,”

“It’s mandatory, we gotta search you,”

“That’s it, that’s it,”
— Detective Nemorin, 20 seconds before the tape cuts to static, according to the recording played in court.

“All right? All right?”

“The defendant has been threatening witnesses, plain and simple, through his associates.”
— Jack Smith.

“describe activity which resembles aspects of the central crime,” the murders of the detectives, “and appear to have been written after that crime was committed.”
— Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis.

“were written in the first person, also contain references to Wilson’s physical appearance and to his street name, Rated R.”

“I think the government pursuing the penalty of death and being able to attain the penalty of death sends a very much needed message to the law enforcement community that, you know, if we’re going to be gunned down in cold blood performing our jobs, then the just punishment should be the death penalty,”
— Michael J. Palladino.

“The evidence will show, ladies and gentlemen,”
— Colleen Kavanagh.

“that the defendant did not care.”

“He still is a brute,”
— Ephraim Savitt.

“You’re going to have to rely on the word of Jesse Jacobus to find that Ronell Wilson was actually the shooter, as the government alleges.”

“Justice served. I trust in the Lord and the Lord has served. Jim can rest now. Rest, Jim, rest. We love you.”
— Rose Nemorin.

“He took it stoically,”

“He expected the verdict. He's fighting for his life.”

“It's the worst thing that ever happened to me in my life, when he took [Rodney] and James for no reason,”
— Deputy Inspector Vincent Di Donato.

“I feel like there's a God. I feel good that justice was served.”
— Unit member Al Hawkins.

“You are a dead man!”
— Nemorin’s mother-in-law.

“Y'all the murderers now.”
— Wilson’s mother, Cheryl Wilson.

“Just because one family lost a member, does that mean it's right that another family loses theirs? If their families are hurting so bad, how the f--k could they stand by and say 'Yes' when another man's life has to be taken.”
— Daniel Wilson.

— Al Hawkins.