NORWICH – Police revealed in court last week that a September shooting that left two men with gunshot wounds originally began with an argument over cocaine.
Lee M. Bush, 49, of the City of Norwich, is charged with shooting two men outside of his 29 Court St. apartment with a shotgun, hitting both with buckshot from the blast and causing non-life threatening wounds.
Bush’s defense attorney Aaron A. Dean said the two victims in the case, Joshua Squires and Bernie J. Infante, both of Norwich, were “two drug miscreants” who had “threatened his client” and “assaulted his girlfriend” just prior to the shooting.
Both alleged victims in the case have each been arrested on separate crimes and incarcerated in the Chenango County Correctional Facility since the incident with Bush took place on Sept. 5.
Squires is currently serving out a one-year sentence in the local jail for petit larceny “after stealing and selling the property of his grandmother in order to feed his drug addiction,” explained Assistant District Attorney Stephen M. Dunshee, who handled the case.
Infante drew headlines in February of 2008 for stealing an 18-pack of beer from Valero gas station in the Town of Norwich after he claimed he had a gun and threatened to shoot the clerk. Infante pleaded guilty to third degree robbery and it was not conclusively shown he ever actually had a weapon during the robbery.
Infante then pleaded guilty to violating his robbery probation Feb. 2 after he was convicted of driving while ability impaired, reported the Chenango County Court Clerk’s Office.
Supreme Court Justice Kevin M. Dowd denied a motion on Bush’s behalf Wednesday that attempted to supress admissions made to Norwich police officers following his arrest.
Dean said Bush had been drinking the day of his arrest and police failed to ask him if he was impaired before taking his signed statement.
Norwich Deputy Police Chief Rodney Marsh took the stand for the prosecution and told the court that the department began investigating the shooting after one of the victims, Infante, showed up at the Chenango Memorial Hospital seeking treatment for a gunshot wound. He also said the other victim in the case, Squires, never received medical treatment for pellet wounds to his elbow.
Shortly after, police secured a search warrant for Bush’s residence and stormed the location, finding Bush outside in a lawn chair.
Marsh interviewed Bush following his arrest Sept. 6 and testified to the remarks he made to police after he was read his Miranda rights.
Marsh said both Squires and Bush had been drinking in the hours leading up to the incident that took place at about 9:30 p.m. on Sept. 5.
“According to him, Josh asked him if he wanted to do some coke, but he didn’t because he didn’t have any money to pay for it, but he stated that Josh basically said, ‘hey, don’t worry about it’ and the two went up to his apartment,” he said.
Marsh said that while Bush was searching his apartment for some baking soda to “cut” the drug with, Bush’s girlfriend saw Squires pull a bag of cocaine from his pocket and demanded that he leave the residence.
Marsh said an argument ensued in which Squires left the residence after throwing an object at the woman, hitting her in the face.
Marsh said another argument between Squires and Bush ensued and escalated with Squires demanding that Bush pay him money owed to him. “Bush denied he owed him any money, though,” said Marsh.
Squires left the residence but then returned a short time later with Infante, who also demanded that Bush pay him back some money. Marsh said Bush told him that Infante threatened him, so he went and got his shotgun.
Marsh said Bush fired two shots one to warn the men and the second in their direction. According to Bush’s statement, he claimed he didn’t mean to hit the two men, but was glad he did.
“I asked him if he was aware that he injured both men, and he basically laughed and said ‘I got both of them? That’s even better,’” said Marsh on the stand.
Dean pointed out that neither of the alleged victim’s statements identified Bush as the shooter.
Bush is charged with two counts of second degree assault, first degree reckless endangerment and third degree criminal possession of a weapon. Since he has a prior misdemeanor conviction, possessing a firearm is a felony.
Bush was remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility without bail and will appear in court at a later date.