Man convicted of murder in fatal shooting outside Albany strip club
WARNING: SOME MAY FIND THE VIDEO DISTURBING
A Latham man has been found guilty of shooting and killing a man outside Ciro’s Place strip club in Albany last year.
After a 2 1/2-day trial, the jury deliberated for less than an hour before convicting Ulias Kornegay on charges of second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon in the death of K-Won Lillard.
The killing happened on May 24 of last year, and prosecutors said it stemmed from a fight.
Surveillance footage from outside was key to the prosecution’s case. Kornegay and his friend, Thomas Jefferson, were partying inside the bar, and then left around 2 a.m., as Jefferson walked to his car, according to the Albany County District Attorney’s Office.
Lillard was seen on video approaching the two men. After exchanging handshakes, the men are seen getting into an argument.
Other bystanders attempted to diffuse the situation. Kornegay took the stand and claimed self-defense. He said he feared that Lillard was going to harm him, alleging that Lillard had lifted his waistband to show the butt of a handgun, the Times Union reported.
The video shows Kornegay getting out of the car with a gun in his hand, pushing Jefferson aside and firing at Lillard. He was hit once in the chest and fell to the ground.
Kornegay got off several rounds and took direct aim as Lillard sought safety behind a car. Kornegay is then seen leaning over the hood of the car and shooting Lillard in the face and head, prosecutors said.
Kornegay fired a total of nine rounds.
Kornegay left the area and headed to Florida, but was able to be tracked down using cell phone data.
Assistant District Attorney Ryan Carty said in a statement that Kornegay had multiple opportunities to end the arguments before resorting to violence.
“He brought a gun to a verbal dispute,” Carty said. “It wasn’t a justified killing, it was an execution.”
ADA Collin D’Arcy also prosecuted the case.
Kornegay faces 40 years to life in prison when sentenced on May 15 at 2 p.m.
