KEW GARDENS — A detective who once guarded Mayor Michael Bloomberg was sentenced to seven years in prison for attempted murder and reckless endangerment, the Queens District Attorney's Office said.
Leopold McLean, 48, was convicted of shooting Lepaul Gammons in 2010 after finding the man outside the Queens home of a woman they had both dated.
"This case should serve as a reminder that no one is above the law," said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown in a statement. "The defendant, a 19-year veteran of the NYPD, has not only lost his job but must now serve the sentence handed down by the court."
McLean came across the then 39-year-old Gammons outside of the woman's home at 119th Road and 153rd Street on Nov. 15, 2010. The woman had an order of protection against Gammons, prompting the confrontation.
McLean then pulled a black handgun on Gammons, according to prosecutors.
"Are you going to shoot me? Gammons responded.
McLean then said, "I have something for you," lowered the gun and started to reach down toward his ankle.
Gammons took off down 119th Road toward Sutphin Boulevard. Shots rang out and Gammons was hit by a bullet that entered and then exited his buttocks.
He hid briefly in a neighbors yard and then ran back to his car, as McLean fired more shots at him, prosecutors said.
Gammons went into hiding, but after a few days he went to the Civilian Complaint Review Board.
Ballistic tests then confirmed the a bullet recovered from a fence post near the woman's home matched McLean's gun.
Queens Supreme Court Justice James P. Griffin sentenced McLean to seven years for second-degree attempted murder, one to three years for first-degree reckless endangerment and an additional year for second-degree reckless endangerment, according to the Queens DA's office.
The sentences will be served concurrently and McLean will also have two-and-a-half year's post-release supervision.
McLean's attorney, Stephen Worth, said his client was justified in using force because Gammons was breaking the law by not following the order of protection.
"Mr. McLean remains steadfast in his belief that the individual he shot was committing a crime and that McLean was legally entitled to use force and did so," said Worth.
