A Brooklyn man's act of horrific violence against a known philanthropist in his own home has led to a severe sentence after a jury trial, as Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced that a homeless man, Dondre Richardson, has been sentenced to 32.5 years to life in prison for a murder that shook the Fort Greene community.
On January 20, 2020, Richardson, 38, who at the time lived in a Manhattan homeless shelter, murdered L. Antonio Litman by stabbing him 22 times, and his brutal attack didn't end there, he also set fire to Litman's home at 248 Adelphi Street, thus extinguishing a life known for openness and generosity, this unsettling juxtaposition of kindness met with depraved violence underscores the tragedy that befell Litman and those close to him.
In a statement obtained by the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office, Gonzalez remarked on the nature of the crime, "L. Antonio Litman opened his door, his table, and his heart to others, and his kindness and generosity were met with unimaginable violence." He stressed the sentence was a measure of accountability "that today’s sentence delivers," and expressed his and the community's commitment to remembering Litman.
Richardson's conviction came on June 24, following a trial that presented irrefutable evidence including his fingerprints on the murder weapon and surveillance video placing him at the scene during the crime firefighters discovered Litman's body after responding to the arson, and the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed the cause of death as the multiple stab wounds, not the fire.
Justice Donald Leo of the Brooklyn Supreme Court passed down the sentence, which combines 25 years to life for second-degree murder along with an additional 7½ to 15 years for third-degree arson, effectively condemning Richardson to possibly spend the remainder of his life behind bars for his actions.
The successful prosecution of the case was credited to Deputy Bureau Chief Cassandra Pond and Senior Assistant District Attorney Danyelle Shapiro, of the Green Zone Trial Bureau, supervised by Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Homicide Bureau Chief, with thanks also extended to Homicide Paralegal Meghan Brancaro and Green Zone Paralegal Aneudy Mata for their roles in the case.
