Man charged in Norwich shooting gets a year in jail

NORWICH – A man arrested for firing his shotgun at two others during an alcohol-fueled dispute pleaded guilty to an endangerment felony in court Monday and was sentenced to one year in local jail.

Lee M. Bush, 49, of the City of Norwich, pleaded guilty to shooting at two men outside of his 29 Court St. apartment with a shotgun last September following an escalating argument that allegedly began over money and cocaine.

The two victims in the crime, Joshua Squires and Bernie J. Infante, both of Norwich, were hit as they fled Bush’s residence at around 9:30 p.m. Sept. 5, suffering pellet wounds to their legs, back and arms. None of the injuries were life threatening.

At the sentencing, defense attorney Aaron A. Dean reiterated Bush’s story that Squires and Infante were “two drug miscreants” who had “threatened my client after they assaulted his girlfriend.”

“What happened, happened,” Bush told Supreme Court Judge Kevin M. Dowd, accepting his role in the incident and apologizing to the court for his conduct. He did not, however, directly apologize for his actions against the two men – a point Dean noted in his remarks.

“There were a lot of circumstances involved that the average person isn’t aware of on the street. Basically there were some legitimate issues of justification,” said Dean, referring to the reasons his client fired.

Dean also noted one of the men didn’t seek medical attention following the incident.

“Mr. Bush maintains his position that he shot in the direction of the two men, and not at them. It is basically our position that the direct fire ricocheted off the driveway and then struck the men,” said Dean.

First Assistant District Attorney Stephen Dunshee said he requested that the judge consider sending Bush to state prison over the charges.

Bush pleaded guilty to first degree reckless endangerment, a D class felony carrying a possible sentence of two and a third to seven years in state prison.

Dowd sentenced Bush to one year in local jail with time already served, saying it was an agreed upon disposition between the DA and the defense. Bush, who has been incarcerated at the Chenango County Correctional Facility since the incident, was released on good behavior by the Sheriff’s Office, having served eight months of the one year sentence.