Jury Finds Dashawn Revels Guilty of Murder

After just one full day of deliberations, the jury in the murder trial of Dashawn Revels has rendered a verdict: Guilty.

Revels, 22, of Brooklyn, NY, was on trial for the murder of Bryan Davila, 20, who was fatally shot following a dispute outside an apartment complex on Crystal Avenue in New London on March 31, 2009. 

Revels' family and friends gasped audibly when the verdict was read, many of them bursting into sobs at the news. Davila's family were similarly overcome by emotion, albeit for different reasons.  

Throughout the day, jurors had returned to court a number of times to review different pieces of evidence, including video surveillance taken on the night of the shooting. They also asked Judge Stuart Schimelman, who is presiding in this case, to clarify the murder charge and to provide them once again with a definition of "consciousness of guilt."

During the course of the trial, Senior Assistant State's Attorney David Smith had presented 80 pieces of evidence but the centerpiece of the state's case was testimony from an eyewitness, who had identified Revels as the shooter and provided a very detailed account of the events she saw take place from the windows of her fifth floor apartment.

Revels' attorneys had mounted a vigorous defense on his behalf and, although it doesn't happen frequently, the defendant himself took the stand to testify. In one of the more dramatic moments of the trial, Revels not only said that he didn't do it, he told the court the names of the two people that he claimed actually pulled the triggers that night.

Defense attorney Bruce Sturman declined to comment but looked shocked as he left the courtroom. Sturman had said previously that he thought the case against Dashawn was weak, summing it up yesterday as a "case permeated by reasonable doubt." 

In the end, however, the final decision rested with the seven women and five men on the jury, and they found Revels guilty of murder.

Following the verdict, Judge Schimelman ordered a presentencing investigation and set the date of the sentencing hearing for September 9. At the state's request, he also raised Revels' bond from $1 million to $2.5 million.