Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Sean Brown has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the 2019 killing of 14-year-old Aamir Griffin. Griffin tragically lost his life when Brown, mistaking him for a rival gang member, opened fire at a South Jamaica playground. Brown also admitted guilt to a weapon possession charge in an unrelated case and is slated to receive a 30-year prison sentence.
District Attorney Katz expressed determination in bringing Griffin’s killer to justice and reiterated the commitment to removing illegal firearms and their wielders from the streets. Katz underscored the pervasive threat posed by gang violence, emphasizing its indiscriminate impact on communities.
Brown, aged 21, of 153rd Street in Jamaica, entered his pleas before Queens Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Holder on indictments charging him with manslaughter, conspiracy, and criminal possession of a weapon.
Per the plea agreement, Brown is expected to receive a 25-year sentence for manslaughter, five to 15 years for conspiracy, and five years for the illegal possession of a firearm. The sentences for manslaughter and weapon possession will be served consecutively, resulting in a total of 30 years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision. Sentencing is scheduled for April 10.
According to the charges, the tragic incident occurred on October 26, 2019, around 8:00 p.m. while Griffin was playing basketball at the Baisley Park Houses. Brown, identified as a member of the Money World gang, mistakenly targeted Griffin and fired three shots from a .380-caliber handgun, fatally striking him in the upper chest.
Brown was previously among 33 reputed gang members charged in a significant indictment encompassing conspiracy, murder, and other offenses, marking one of the largest gang takedowns in the Office of the Queens District Attorney’s history.