In the early hours of a Tuesday morning in New Haven, Connecticut, the life of 27-year-old Hispanic male Rubencito Reuben Gonzalez was tragically cut short. On July 31, 2012, Gonzalez and a coworker had just finished their late shift at a warehouse and were sitting in his car on Atwater Street, unwinding from a long day of work. The conversation between the two friends was abruptly interrupted when three men approached the vehicle.
Two of the men, brandishing firearms, ordered Gonzalez
and his friend out of the car. The armed assailants then proceeded to rob them, taking money and a cell phone. As the robbers began to flee the scene, Gonzalez courageously told them, "I'll remember your faces." In a senseless act of violence, one of the men turned back and fired multiple shots at Gonzalez. He was rushed to Yale-New Haven Hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival.
The New Haven Police Department launched an investigation into the homicide, which was the city's 11th of the year. Their efforts led to the identification of two suspects, Ernest Harris and Emmit Scott. Both men were subsequently arrested and charged in connection with the robbery and murder of Gonzalez. Fingerprints from both Harris and Scott were found on the exterior of Gonzalez's car.
In September 2014, a jury found Ernest Harris guilty of felony murder, two counts of first-degree robbery, and conspiracy to commit robbery. The jury concluded that while Harris did not pull the trigger, his participation in the robbery that led to Gonzalez's death made him culpable. In November 2014, a judge sentenced Harris to 47 years in prison. The second suspect, Emmit Scott, who was alleged to have been the shooter, went to trial separately. In a surprising turn of events, Scott was found not guilty of murder and felony murder but was convicted on two counts of first-degree armed robbery. The verdict indicated the jury was not convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that Scott was the one who fired the fatal shots.
