Light Sentence In Murder Rouses Family's Fury
BY LIZ GOFF

Tempers flared inside Queens Supreme Court on November 8 as the family of a Long Island City dry cleaner, shot to death during a botched payroll heist in October 2004, learned that one of five people accused in the murder turned state's evidence for a guaranteed sentence of no jail time.

"Where is the justice for my husband?" cried Kathi Levy, whose husband, Bruce Levy, was gunned down in broad daylight outside his 35th Street office on October 7, 2004.

Davita Gabriel, 28, appeared in court as a prosecution witness to tell the jury how her boyfriend, Jerome Fletcher, came up with a plan to rob Levy.

Gabriel, who worked at the Red Cap Valet dry cleaning plant at the time of the murder, told prosecutor Robin Leopold she "let" Fletcher know when Levy would be arriving at the plant with the payroll. Cops said Denworth (Lizard) Davidson, 23, fired the gun that left Levy bleeding to death on the street outside his office. Police sources said Davidson made incriminating statements following his arrest, which will be used during his prosecution.

Police sources said Fletcher and Davidson waited for Levy to return from the bank at about noon on the day of the shooting. When he arrived back at the plant, the two men ambushed Levy and scuffled with him for the cash, the sources said. Davidson is alleged to have fired the gun during the struggle, the sources said. The two men then jumped into a getaway car and fled the scene, leaving the fatally wounded Levy in a pool of his own blood.

Also charged in the plot were Stacey Whittaker, 30, another of Fletcher's girlfriends, and guy-pal Mozart Findlay, court records state. Whittaker, who worked at a Long Island City bank at the time of the murder, allegedly helped Fletcher and Davidson launder some of the stolen cash, court records state. She pleaded guilty to lesser charges and has agreed to testify against both men.

Kathi Levy shook with anger after learning that Gabriel would be sentenced to time served for agreeing to testify for the prosecution.

"This is just not right," Levy said. "This woman helped plan the robbery. She could have gone to my husband or Craig (the victim's brother) at any time to stop it. But she did nothing."

Gabriel told the court she dialed Fletcher on his cell phone moments after Levy was shot. "I said, 'Did you do this?'," Gabriel said, turning to look at Fletcher in the courtroom

"He said, 'Don't do anything', and said he would talk to me later," she said.

Craig Levy said his sister-in-law and the couple's three children are still struggling to accept his death. Levy said his mother has never accepted the fact that "Bruce is gone." Levy said his mother suffered ill health following his brother's death and has since moved into a nursing home.

"It's very hard," Craig Levy said. "He was the cement that held the family together."

Fletcher, 28, of 54 Baiting Pl., Farmingdale, Long Island, was convicted of second-degree murder, first-degree robbery, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and tampering with physical evidence on November 15. Queens Supreme Court Justice Robert J. Hanophy set sentencing for December 18. Fletcher faces up to 25 years to life in prison, as does Davidson, if convicted. Gabriel opted to testify against the pair to avoid facing a similar sentence.