'Violent Murder' Gets Brooklyn Man 40 Years To Life In Prison: DA

BAY SHORE, NY — A Brooklyn was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison on Wednesday after fatally shooting a Long Island man in 2020, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney.

Basheer Vinson, 30, of Brooklyn, was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison after a jury found him guilty of second-degree murder and other related charges, for an attempted robbery and shooting in 2020 that killed Mark Birthwright, 26, of Bay Shore, and injured a 30 year-old male from Bellport, the DA said.

"Unfortunately, this sentence cannot change history and the fact that the loss of the victim’s life was sudden, brutal and senseless," Tierney said. "This was a violent and premeditated murder and robbery. We are gratified that the judge imposed the requested maximum sentence and hope the victim’s loved ones find some small degree of solace in this very well-deserved sentence."

According to evidence at trial, on Aug. 2, 2020, Vinson attended a house party on Patton Avenue in Wyandanch, the DA said.

When Birthwright and Brown were leaving the party around 2 a.m., Birthwright dropped a roll of cash on the ground, picked it up and walked out of the party, the DA said.

Outside, Vinson and another unknown person held Birthwright at gunpoint and demanded the money, the DA said.

While Birthwright and Vinson struggled, Vinson's purple baseball hat fell onto the ground.
Eventually, Vinson shot Birthwright in the chest, the DA said. Brown turned around to help Birthwright, but Vinson fired a shot that hit him in his side, the DA said.

Suffolk County police were called and Vinson and the other person fled, while Birthwright was pronounced dead at the scene, the DA said. Meanwhile, Brown was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries, the DA said.

Vinson’s DNA was recovered from the purple baseball cap left at the scene and a partial DNA profile was recovered from one of the spent 9mm cartridge casings which matched his DNA profile, the DA said. He was arrested on Oct. 4, 2022.

On Sept.24, 2024,

On April 2, Mazzei sentenced Vinson to 25 years to life in prison for his conviction of second-degree murder and 15 years on his first-degree attempted assault conviction to run consecutively, for a total sentence of 40 years to life, while all other charges are to run concurrently, the DA said

He was represented by John Halverson who was not immediately available for comment.