Convicted killer Terell Bethea wept in a Schenectady County Court Wednesday as he apologized to relatives of a man he shot to death on a city street in Hamilton Hill last year, according to the prosecutor.

Assistant District Attorney John Healy said during a phone interview that the 29-year-old Bethea also told the court that Charles Bowman, 43, was "a good man who didn't deserve to die."

"He seemed immediately and genuinely remorseful," said Healy. "It was pretty emotional, a lot of tears, a lot of people."

Bethea, who had earlier pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for the Oct. 5 slaying on Schenectady Street, received 17 years to life in state prison.

Healy said Bowman's mother read a poetic victim impact statement about how the loss of her son has changed her life.

Defense lawyer Sven Paul also read a statement from his client's mother offering her apology and prayers to the victim's family, said Healy. It was Bethea's mother who drove him to police headquarters less than an hour after the daylight shooting.

Authorities said Bethea used a gun stolen from Vermont in 2006 to shoot Bowman. Bowman died at Ellis Hospital.

Authorities have said Bethea was upset about someone burglarizing his home on Paige Street behind Schenectady Street when he accosted Bowman, demanding answers, later pulling the trigger twice.

Healy noted he was pleased that so many eyewitnesses in the neighborhood cooperated with police and prosecutors, something that typically doesn't happen.

"This is a good example of what happens when witnesses come forward and tell what they know," said Healy, adding that surveillance cameras in the neighborhood also helped.


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Does anyone see a connection between the reluctance to summon police to handle problems in certain neighborhoods, leading to tragedy, and the fact that the force covers up for dangerous individuals in its ranks? I've seen a number of instances where there were fatalities and people wonder, "why didn't they just call the police?". What if you lived in that neighborhood, and you knew that by calling the police you might be summoning a renegade nut who would point a gun in a minor's face because he was ticked off, and that nobody would do anything about it? Would you risk bringing that kind of trouble on yourself and your neighbors, or would you risk settling it yourself?