Defendants, who have prior convictions, attacked and pistol-whipped the victim before shooting him in the back
May 10, 2024
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. – Westchester County District Attorney Miriam E. Rocah announced today that two Yonkers men were sentenced on Thursday to a combined 28 years in state prison for the attempted murder of a Yonkers resident outside of his home.
DA Rocah said: “Gun violence inflicts enormous fear and stress in our communities and drivers of this epidemic must be held accountable. Thankfully, the victim survived this violent attack and shooting, and the defendants now face the consequences for their actions.”
Appearing before Judge George Fufidio in Westchester County Court, Daquann Johnson, 34, was sentenced to 16 years in state prison, with five years of post-release supervision, and his brother Dieandre Phillips, 32, was sentenced to 12 years in state prison, with five years of post-release supervision.
Following a four-week trial, a jury on March 30 found the defendants guilty of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, Attempted Assault in the First Degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, Assault in the Second Degree, and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, all felonies.
On Jan. 20, 2023, at approximately 12:26 p.m., the defendants, who were not known to the victim, repeatedly kicked and punched the victim following a verbal dispute outside the victim’s home in Yonkers. The defendants struck the victim with a gun before shooting him in the back as he attempted to run into his home. The victim was transported to a local hospital and treated for his injuries.
The Yonkers Police Department arrested Johnson on Jan. 21, 2023, and Phillips on Jan. 24, 2023, following an investigation utilizing surveillance video and license plate readers. Police also recovered a 9mm shell casing at the scene.
The District Attorney thanked the Yonkers Police Department for their assistance on this case.
The case was prosecuted by Major Case Bureau Chief Nadine Nagler and Assistant District Attorney Rachel Ehrhardt, both of the Trials and Investigations Division, with assistance from the Violent Criminal Enterprise Unit of the DA’s Criminal Investigators Squad.
