After a two week trial, a Bronx jury came back with guilty verdicts on charges of second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon.
According to prosecutors, James, who lived in the same apartment building as Sealey, bought a “loosie” from his neighbour back in 2013. At the end of the transaction, James owed the 35-year-old Sealey, 40 cents for the purchase of the one cigarette. Although the evidence at trial suggested James ultimately paid the small debt, the two men constantly argued about the late payment.
The arguments abruptly ended on Aug. 26, 2015. Shortly before midnight, James shot Sealey five times while the victim was just inside his front door. Four of the bullets went into the younger man’s back. Sealey was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
After the verdict was reached, Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said, “The sadness of this crime is incomprehensible. The victim and the defendant had been arguing about the defendant’s delay in paying the 40 cents he owed for a loosie cigarette, and a petty matter led to the murder of one man and a possible life sentence for another.”
The New York Daily News reports this is not the first killing in the Bronx resulting from an argument over cigarettes. In April 2014, Joshua Simser stabbed his friend, Rufino Sanchez, 29 times after accusing him of taking his cigarettes.
James will be sentenced in May. He is facing maximum sentences of 25 years to life for murder and 15 years for the weapons charge.
