By Ellen Moynihan And Reuven Blau
New York Daily News
NEW YORK — The lawyer for an MTA bus maintenance worker accused of shooting an off-duty correction officer dead in a fit of road rage claimed Monday his client is completely innocent.
Gifford Hunter is accused of murdering Jonathan Narain. at an intersection in Richmond Hill around 1:45 p.m. Friday as the victim was driving to his shift at Rikers Island.
Defense attorney Ken Finkelman, speaking during Hunter’s arraignment in Queens Criminal Court, called the criminal complaint against his client “bare bones” and said it didn’t include any “facts.”
“Based on what the police told me, this is the wrong person,” he added.
Hunter was nabbed by police on Sunday and charged with murder, weapon possession and criminal use of a firearm.
Prosecutor Amanda Fix said in court that Hunter, 30, of St. Albans, was picked out of a photo array by one witness and implicated in a statement made by a second.
The courtroom was filled with correction officers supporting their 27-year-old fallen colleague.
“I understand why all these correction officers are here, but none of them were present when this incident happened.” Finkelman said.
He claimed Hunter has many friends in the NYPD and the Correction Department and doesn’t even own a gun.
“He has no criminal record,” Finkelman added. “He has a very clean DMV record. He has no history of violence.”
Cops said Hunter has six prior arrests for non-violent offenses that are now sealed.
The deadly dispute between Hunter and Narain began when Narain made a U-turn on his way to work to pick up food at a store and had a brief encounter with Hunter, police say.
Hunter then pulled up to Narain on a motorcycle at a red light on 103rd Ave. and 120th St. in Richmond Hill. The two quarreled at the traffic light and Hunter allegedly shot Narain in the left temple.
Judge Toni Cimino ordered Hunter held without bail.
Elias Husamudeen, president of the Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association, was pleased with the outcome.
“They got him, and regardless of what he’s saying, that’s he’s innocent or not, it really doesn’t matter,” Husamudeen said. “What else would he say?”