Glen Head mechanic found guilty of murder, weapon charge

A Nassau jury on Thursday convicted a mechanic of murdering a co-worker in a Glen Head body shop, rejecting the defendant's testimony that he accidentally opened fire while trying to protect himself.

Lawrence Grammer, 74, called 911 minutes after the shooting on Aug. 4, 2018, in the garage at D & R Automotive — asking police to respond and declaring, "I just killed a guy."

Jurors convicted Grammer of second-degree murder and a weapon charge after about three hours of deliberations over two days.

The slaying of Bashir "Bobby" Ward, a 35-year-old husband and father from Valley Stream, was an "execution," prosecutor Tracy Keeton told jurors in her closing argument Wednesday.

"This case is exactly what it seems. … This man took a loaded firearm and decided to end the life of one of his co-workers," she added.

But Grammer's attorney, Joseph Lo Piccolo, had said Grammer's call to 911 supported the defense contention that the shooting at the Glen Head Road business was an accident by a man who feared Ward after Ward attacked him the day before while using a racial slur.

The Garden City attorney, in his closing argument, called it "most telling" that Grammer didn't run away when he had the chance to and also called 911, arguing his client was guilty of manslaughter and not murder.

Lo Piccolo said after the verdict that he believes Grammer brought the gun to work to protect himself and shot Ward because he believed he was in danger.

"Mr. Grammer has always expressed regret as to what happened. … He will accept his punishment and take responsibility for his actions. He just wishes it never came to that," Lo Piccolo added.

Grammer said during an interview with homicide detectives after the killing that he opened fire after he called out Ward's name and the man didn't acknowledge him as they worked closely together in a bay of the garage. Evidence showed the victim died after a single bullet from a .45 caliber pistol struck the back of his head after Grammer fired at point-blank range.

Grammer also told police after the slaying that he put the gun in a vehicle parked near the garage after he and Ward had a prior confrontation on Aug. 3, 2018, before bringing it to the body shop in another vehicle on the morning of the shooting.

But Grammer changed his account when he testified in his own defense in Nassau County Court, telling jurors his 911 call and videotaped interview with police had been altered.

He insisted he grabbed his gun to protect himself on Aug. 4 because he believed Ward was picking up a tool to strike him after again using a racial slur and threatening him.

Grammer also said "the gun went off" as he racked it to get ready to shoot and the blast frightened him because he didn't think at first that he had pulled the trigger.

Evidence showed that on Aug. 3, 2018, Ward had used a racial slur and pushed Grammer to the ground after intervening in a separate dispute Grammer had with another colleague about a possible deduction from Grammer's paycheck to cover a gas purchase.

Lo Piccolo portrayed Ward as the aggressor, saying Grammer brought a gun to work because "he didn't want to be a victim."

But Keeton said Grammer had "admitted committing this brutal murder" and the case had been solved minutes after the crime took place.

Acting state Supreme Court Justice Howard Sturim set Grammer's sentencing, in which he faces up to 25 years to life in prison, for July 27.

Lo Piccolo said that unfortunately for his client, whatever prison sentence he receives at age 74 "will be a death sentence."

Prosecutors declined to comment on the verdict.