By ANDREA AUSTIN
A Brooklyn man accused of fatally shooting a Muslim imam and his friend pleaded not guilty on Thursday in Queens Criminal Court.
Oscar Morel, 35, is charged with shooting Imam Maulama Akonjee and Thara Uddin from behind at point blank range on Aug. 13. The shooting occurred on 79th Street, just one block from Al-Furqan Jame Mosque in Ozone Park at around 1:55 pm.
Morel faces up to life in prison without parole. He was arraigned on one count of first degree murder, two counts of second degree murder and two counts of second degree criminal possession of a gun.
The murder weapon was found hidden in a bag in a wall inside Morel’s house and determined to be a match. Authorities said five shots were fired at the victims and inside the bag were five discharged shell cases. The bullets were found to match the shell cases, investigators said.
Police arrested Morel after surveilling a vehicle parked outside his home that matched the Chevy Trailblazer involved in a hit-and-run with a bicyclist that occurred just 10 minutes after the shooting.
Prosecutors said Morel identified himself and his Chevy Trailblazer in video footage taken after the hit-and-run, and stated a bicycle came at him. According to prosecutors, Morel first told police, “I knew you were coming,” which was filmed and a copy of the videotape will be provided to the defense counsel.
A motive has yet to be determined but many members of the victims’ mosque believe it was a hate crime. “Hate crime. Hate crime,” said Somir Uddin outside the courthouse. “He should be charged with that. He didn’t take no money or anything. He just kill and just go away… He’s guilty for sure. The camera showed his picture, the gun was found in his room, his car was found.”
Defense attorney, Michael Schwed said outside the courthouse the witness misidentified the suspect in the photo ID. Of the few witnesses present at the lineup, “nobody picked him out. Not one person picked out another individual in that lineup. I’m not just making that up, the DA put that on the record,” Schwed said.
Schwed added that Morel hasn’t worn glasses in over ten years. He wears contacts and the man in the sketch of the shooter was wearing glasses.
Schwed said that Morel thought he was going to be attacked and robbed when he saw two plainclothes officers running towards him. Morel told him he tried to get away and shots were fired.
“The only thing that enters my mind is if they did, they may have planted evidence on him,” said Schwed. “They say it [the gun] was found in his house. I haven’t seen any proof of that … I haven’t gotten any of the evidence in this case.”
Asab Uddin, another member of the mosque said he couldn’t think of anyone who would want to harm the imam and there was never any fighting. Akonjee was “a very honest guy, very very honest,” said Uddin.
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