Queens man guilty in Valley Stream killing

A Queens man who prosecutors say fled to California after killing a Valley Stream man outside a bar has been found guilty of murder, prosecutors said Thursday.

Sandino Campbell, 28, of Jamaica, was convicted of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, Nassau County prosecutors said. He faces a maximum of 25 years to life in prison when Supreme Court Judge Alan Honorof sentences him Aug. 22.

Greg Madey of Mineola, who represented Campbell, said he was saddened by the verdict.

"I was disappointed," he said. "There was some difficult evidence and witnesses to overcome." Madey said Campbell plans to appeal.

Prosecutor Zena Abdi said Campbell got into an argument with Galy Fortune, 47, of Valley Stream at Café Moments nightclub in Elmont in May 2009 after Fortune tried to dance with Campbell's girlfriend. Both men were escorted from the bar, she said.

Campbell and his girlfriend left through the back door. Fortune walked out the front, Abdi said.

As Fortune was walking away, Campbell shot at him from his car, striking him below the ribs, prosecutors said. Campbell's girlfriend, who was in the car, and a second bystander testified against Campbell at trial, lawyers said.

SEE PHOTOSNotable LI crimes

Fortune, who was married and had a baby, was pronounced dead at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset.

Campbell fled, and was not found for nearly a year. In June 2010, Nassau Detectives James Hendry and Christopher Ferro learned that Campbell was in California after his arrest there on unrelated charges, prosecutors said at the time. The two detectives went to California, and brought Campbell back to Long Island on a governor's warrant, prosecutors said.

"This was a senseless act of violence, and we will ask that the defendant serve the rest of his life behind bars," Nassau District Attorney Kathleen Rice said in a statement.