Man who was sentenced to the New Year's shooting in Albany for 35 years

Lee Kindlon, district prosecutor of Albany County, announced the conviction of 43-year-old John Stanfield. Stanfield was sentenced to 35 years in prison for the fatal shootout of the 44-year-old Ozzie Gardner shortly after the beginning of the new year.

Stanfield received 25 years for manslaughter and 10 years for criminal property of a weapon.

The sentences are carried out one after the other, and Stanfield will also appear five years after the publication.

The Albany police responded to the scene in Judson and Second Streets to report on a shootout on January 1, 2024 at 12.42 p.m.

Gardner was found on the chest with gunshot wounds and, although he was treated by an emergency staff, later died in the Albany Medical Center Hospital.

An investigation showed that Stanfield and Gardner had taken part in a New Year's party in a nearby apartment. A dispute between the two men escalated and spilled onto the street, which led to the shootings.

During the conviction, judge McDonough described the incident as a “tragedy” and criticized Stanfield's actions.

McDonough said:

They not only forced his family victim, but also their own family victims, they have made the community victim. This is just a further death in the laundry list of deaths for no reason here in Albany County, which unfortunately happens too often.

Stanfield apologized to Gardner's family before he received his judgment.