Bridgeport man facing manslaughter accepts 8-year deal on gun charges

BRIDGEPORT — A city man, accused of fatally shooting another man who came at him with a knife, was sentenced Friday to eight years in prison on gun charges.

“I understand the consequences of what occurred. I live with it every day,” Richard “Stacks” Brown told Superior Court Judge Kevin Russo as the victim’s family cried in the back of the courtroom.

“There were two men on thin ice that day, the difference is that you possessed a gun,” Russo replied.

The 29-year-old Brown had been charged with first-degree manslaughter for the Sept. 1, 2019 fatal shooting of 41-year-old Jose Perez-Ortiz, a father of three children.

However, State’s Attorney Joseph Corradino told the judge he had agreed to drop the manslaughter charge after reviewing surveillance video of the crime.

“I do not believe we could have overcome a defense of self-defense if the case had gone to trial,” he told Russo.

Instead, Brown agreed to plead guilty to criminal possession of a pistol, carrying a pistol without a permit and two counts of violating past probation.

“Beyond the cold record there are very real human beings who suffer the consequences of gun violence in the community,” Corradino added.

The judge sentenced Brown to 15 years, suspended after he serves eight years in prison and followed by three years of probation.

Brown was accused of killing Perez-Ortiz on Noble Avenue shortly after 6 p.m. on Sept. 1, 2019.

Perez was shot once in the torso and was later pronounced dead at Bridgeport Hospital.

Police said Brown and three friends left La Patona Grocery and confronted another man. They exchanged angry words and Brown turned his back and began to walk away, police said a video surveillance shows.

Police said Perez-Ortiz is then seen in the video pulling out a knife from his right pants pocket and apparently attempting to stab Brown in the back.

Brown turned around, pointed a handgun at Perez and fired, police said. Everyone then fled leaving Perez-Ortiz bleeding on the ground.

At the time Brown was on probation for a 2012 conviction of firstdegree robbery.