A Rochester man pleaded guilty Monday in the brazen daytime shooting death of another Rochester man on Genesee Street in July 2023.
Man pleads guilty in fatal shooting
Stephan Jefferson, 23, pleaded guilty in Monroe County Court to first-degree manslaughter and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, both felonies, in connection with the July 12, 2023, shooting death of Dwayne Hall, according to the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office.
2023 Genesee Street shooting
Jefferson and Hall, 38, were involved in a fistfight on Genesee Street near Hopkins Street around 3:45 p.m. on July 12, 2023.
Police said the two men briefly separated as the fight appeared to end, and Hall began walking away. Jefferson then retrieved a handgun, approached Hall again and fired a single shot at close range, striking him in the chest, Rochester Police Capt. Frank Umbrino said following the shooting.
Hall was taken to Strong Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Jefferson fled the scene but was arrested the following day.
The shooting happened in front of 15 to 20 people, including children, police said.
Prosecutors discuss the case
Investigators said Jefferson and Hall had previously lived in the same neighborhood and that the shooting appeared to stem from an earlier dispute.
Assistant District Attorney Patrick Gallagher, who prosecuted the case with ADA Ryan Lamon, said Jefferson chose to escalate a “minor dispute” rather than walk away.
Gallagher said Jefferson armed himself with an illegally possessed firearm and shot Hall in front of his longtime partner and teenage son.
The plea, Gallagher said, holds Jefferson accountable for his “deliberate choice” to shoot and kill Hall.
What’s next
Jefferson is scheduled to be sentenced by state Supreme Court Justice Stephen Miller on Aug. 21. Jefferson is to be sentenced to 25 years in state prison for the manslaughter conviction, consecutively to a sentence of between 10 to 15 years and 5 years of post-release supervision. His total sentence is expected to be between 35 to 40 years in the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, according to the DA’s Office.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Rochester man pleads guilty in 2023 Genesee Street daytime shooting death
Reporting by Victoria E. Freile, New York Connect Team / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Victoria E. Freile, New York Connect Team | USA TODAY Network
