FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, January 6, 2026
Defendant Sentenced to 23 Years to Life in Prison for
Fatal Shooting of Former Friend in Brownsville
Victim Shot Multiple Times Following Dispute
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a man has been sentenced to 23 years to life in prison for the shooting death of a Brooklyn man following a dispute in Brownsville, Brooklyn.
District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Today’s sentence provides accountability for this defendant for escalating an argument into a shooting and taking a man’s life. Gun violence is at record lows in Brooklyn and keeping defendants such as this individual off of our streets makes communities safer. I am committed to delivering justice for victims and continuing to keep our borough safer than ever.”
The District Attorney identified the defendant as Harvey French, 54, of Brownsville, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Phyllis Chu to 23 years to life in prison. The defendant was convicted of second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon on October 17, 2025, following a jury trial.
The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, at approximately 6:30 p.m., on April 18, 2022, at the Brownsville Houses, in the vicinity of Blake Avenue and Rockaway Avenue in Brownsville the defendant and the victim, who knew each other, were engaged in a verbal dispute, which was escalated by the defendant when he pulled out a gun and opened fire approximately five to seven times.
The victim was struck in the chest, the side and the legs, and when he tried to get away, according to the evidence, the defendant continued firing and struck him in the back before fleeing the scene.
The victim was rushed to Brookdale University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Following an investigation, the defendant was arrested on October 3, 2022 in Brooklyn.
The District Attorney thanked Homicide Paralegal John Homnick, Intelligence Analyst Selena Collado and the KCDA Detective Investigators for their assistance on this case.
The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Robert Schwartz, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Senior Assistant District Attorney Stacie Ulberg, of the District Attorney’s Orange Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Homicide Bureau Chief.
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