Bronx Man Charged In Manhattan Federal Court With 2014 Murder

Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James P. O’Neill, the Commissioner of the Police Department for the City of New York (“NYPD”), announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging RASHAWN WHIDBEE, a/k/a “RaBoy,” with the September 27, 2014, attempted robbery and murder of Cody Dubose, 24, in New York, New York.  WHIDBEE was arrested today and will be presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger.  This case is assigned to United States District Judge Edgardo Ramos.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “Almost exactly five years ago, Cody Dubose was shot and killed during an attempted armed robbery in Manhattan.  Now, thanks to the outstanding work of the NYPD, Rashawn Whidbee has been charged for his alleged participation in that heinous crime.” 

NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill said:  “The NYPD, along with our partners in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District, is making New Yorkers safer by focusing our resources on the small percentage of criminals responsible for much of the city’s violent crime. We remain relentless in our efforts to identify, arrest, and prosecute anyone who involves himself in such behavior.”

According to the allegations in the Indictment unsealed in Manhattan federal court[1]:

On or about September 27, 2014, in the vicinity of East 112th Street and Madison Avenue in New York, New York, WHIDBEE and others participated in an attempted robbery of money belonging to a drug dealer, during which Cody Dubose was shot and killed.

*                *                *

WHIDBEE, 32, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with one count of attempted robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of using a firearm to commit murder, which carries a maximum sentence of death or life in prison, and a mandatory minimum term of five years in prison.  The maximum and minimum sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.          

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD.

The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit.  Assistant United States Attorneys Jacob Warren, Michael Longyear, and Christopher Clore are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.