A Brooklyn woman has been given a sentence of 23 years to life in prison for the murder of another woman during a candle-lighting ceremony in Crown Heights. Claudia Banton, 46, was convicted of second-degree murder and weapon possession for the 2021 shooting of Delia Johnson. Banton was sentenced by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Margaret Martin, in a case that has left the community reeling from its brutal and public nature.
According to the information provided by the Brooklyn District Attorney, the confrontation took place on August 4, 2021, when Banton shot Johnson in the head at close range while the latter was conversing with a group of people. The incident occurred in the aftermath of a funeral for a mutual friend and Johnson was shot again after already having fallen to the ground. Banton proceeded to quickly flee the scene in a waiting vehicle.
Eric Gonzalez, the Brooklyn District Attorney, characterized the shooting as "a cold-blooded execution." In a statement obtained by the District Attorney's Office, he expressed his dismay at the disregard for human life, especially at an event meant for mourning. "It is especially shocking that the defendant was so brazen as to carry out this murder among a crowd of mourners, causing chaos and fear as they ran from the gunfire," Gonzalez said.
After the shooting, Banton became the subject of an interstate manhunt, culminating in her arrest by United States Marshals in Jacksonville, Florida, on November 8, 2021. The case was meticulously prosecuted by Michael Diamond, a Senior Assistant District Attorney, alongside Zachary Safrin, Assistant District Attorney, with Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini overseeing as Chief of the Homicide Bureau.
