Currie sentenced in murder of Inwood’s Desmond Kelly

James Currie was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison on Monday for robbing and shooting Desmond Kelly of Inwood on Sept. 4, 2010.

Currie, 26, of Charlotte, N.C., was convicted of murder-second degree, two counts of robbery-first degree, robbery-second degree and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon-second degree on Oct. 26.

He and Tyshaun Jacobs, 24, of Oceanside, went to Kelly’s home that September night to purchase marijuana. During the transaction, either Currie or Jacobs pulled out a .357 Magnum revolver and shot Kelly five times, including three shots in his back. Then Currie and Jacobs took the marijuana and an unspecified amount of cash. It remains unclear who shot Kelly.

Approximately 15 minutes after the shooting, 4th Precinct officers arrested Currie. Jacobs, who awaits trial on identical charges, was arrested two days later. At the time of his arrest, Currie was wanted on a murder charge in Mecklenburg County in North Carolina for the Aug. 7 shooting of Brooks Dangelo Crist.

“James Currie’s capacity for extreme violence demanded that he be removed from society, and I applaud today’s sentence,” said Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice. “The streets of Nassau County are safer with this defendant behind bars.”