As previously reported, James Brown, 45, of Mastic, was convicted last month by a jury of his peers of killing longtime friend, Umar Elquhir, also 45 and of Mastic, back in November of 2023.
“Violent rage has been met with severe consequence,” DA Tierney said after Brown was sentenced to “25 years to life” in prison on Monday, June 16th.
“A life sentence is the only appropriate sentence for a criminal with a prior violent conviction, who has once again used a gun and has now killed,” he added. “The public must be protected from such danger.”
Brown was previously convicted of Assault in the First Degree with a Deadly Weapon in 2012. He was sentenced to five years imprisonment for said crime.
His latest crime for which he will serve serious time—Murder in the Second Degre—transpired on the evening of Nov. 7th. According to video surveillance obtained from a smoke shop across the street from Brown’s home, he and Elquhir engaged in a physical altercation; the victim vacated the premises, only to return hours later.
Brown emerged from his home exclaiming, “You wanna die?” at the sight of seeing Elquhir parked outside. He fired nine shots into Elquhir’s vehicle, with multiple striking the victim.
Elquhir exited his car and collapsed onto the ground, where he was found by police responders at approx. 9:27 p.m. He was rushed to Long Island Community Hospital in Patchogue, where he was pronounced dead.
Brown claimed self-defense in court, but the jury rejected this whole-heartedly.
In addition to convicting him of murder, the jury also convicted Brown on two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree—the same weapon Brown used to fatally wound an unarmed Elquhir.
Supreme Court Justice John B. Collins heard the trial.
Brown was represented by Jason Russo, Esq., who successfully walked his client back from the initial “40 years to life” requests.
Assistant District Attorney Eric S. Aboulafia of the Homicide Bureau ran point on the prosecution.
The investigation was conducted by Detective T. Michael Palumbo and retired Detective Brendan O’Hara of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Homicide Squad.