Upcoming murder trial for co-defendant in Staten Island music studio murder

On By Rgal Nv

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Jury selection is expected to begin next week in the 2021 shooting death of a Staten Island man at a local music studio.

The accused, Darren (Frenchie) Boyd, 33, faces charges of second-degree murder, first-degree assault and criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the incident.

He was one of three people charged in the case.

The group, according to law enforcement, committed what turned out to be a botched armed robbery at DemonLow Studio on Van Duzer Street in Stapleton on the night of January 16, 2021.

A second defendant, Charles Brooks, 32, was also arrested on second-degree murder charges in a case that remains ongoing.

Boyd’s attorney, Mario Gallucci, said Monday that his client has been awaiting trial for two years and “looks forward to clearing his name.”

“This is the senseless death of an innocent young man who had his whole life ahead of him, but Mr. Boyd was not responsible for this murder,” Gallucci continued.

“This is going to be an interesting trial to follow, with lots of twists and turns.”

Frenchie Boyd

Charles Brooks was charged as a third co-defendant in the January 2021 murder of Jahade Chancey in Stapleton. (Facebook)

The third co-defendant, Ming Liu, 32, pleaded guilty last year to first-degree manslaughter.

At the time of the killing, law enforcement said Liu and Boyd lived at the same address on 20th Street in Newark, New Jersey.

Authorities said the group was trying to collect money owed to Liu from an anonymous person affiliated with the studio.

Liu was sentenced to 16 years in prison and five years of post-release supervision.

Ming Liu

Following the shooting death of Jahade Chancey in 2021, one of the co-defendants in that case, Ming Liu, fled the city for a time before being found by investigators. (Facebook)

“A deep and irremediable pain”

The victim in that case, Jahade Chancey, 23, was inside the studio with other individuals at the time of the attempted robbery, authorities said.

At Liu’s sentencing hearing in October 2023, several of the victim’s family members and friends provided statements to the court and the defendant.

Jahade Chancey

The victim in that case, Jahade Chancey, 23, was inside the studio with other individuals at the time of the attempted robbery, authorities said. (Facebook)

“Jahade was not part of a gang,” a close friend of the victim said, crying. “Jahade had never been to prison. Jahade didn’t even fight.

Liu, who was also crying throughout the proceedings, apologized to the family.

Judge Alexander Jeong, while acknowledging the “deep and irreparable pain” Liu had caused, said he also believed in second chances.

“I see that you have shown true remorse … and I believe that you are entitled to redemption,” he said.