A brutal murder carried out by Claudia Bunton, who shot her childhood friend on a busy Brooklyn street, reflects her lack of remorse since the incident years ago.
Bunton, 46, was sentenced to 23 years in prison for her “wicked conduct,” according to Delia Johnson’s grieving relative, who spoke in Brooklyn Supreme Court.
“This was an act of pure evil, and what’s even harder is that she feels no remorse,” said Johnson’s brother, Mattis Lemons, 51, urging Judge Margaret Martin to impose a harsh sentence.
Lemons stated, “My sister’s murderer should never walk the earth again.”
Throughout the hearing, Bunton remained emotionless while Johnson’s family expressed their disbelief that someone they once considered family could commit such a crime.
“At one point, I thought you were family,” said Johnson’s daughter, Radheya Jenkins, 21. “It hurts… and even that feels like an understatement.”
Kadilla Berry, Johnson’s younger sister, echoed the pain felt by the family.
“You and my sister were friends… What’s heartbreaking is knowing you were capable of this,” she said.
Bunton was found guilty last month of second-degree murder and criminal possession related to the execution-style shooting that occurred outside a friend’s funeral on Franklin Avenue in Crown Heights on August 4, 2021.
Although they had been friends, Bunton’s motives for the murder were revealed during her trial.
Witnesses described a terrifying scene as Bunton fired multiple shots at Johnson, sending mourners fleeing for safety.
“One shot wasn’t sufficient; she advanced and kept firing as people ran for their lives,” Brooklyn aide Michael Diamond said during the sentencing.
Body cam footage from the police showed Johnson injured, struggling to breathe, and bleeding from her eyes. The murder was also captured on surveillance video.
Initially, police stopped Bunton in a white Mercedes right after the shooting, but she was released after claiming a man was the shooter.
Prosecutors noted that Bunton spoke to officers as if nothing had happened.
Three months later, she was found in Jacksonville, Florida. The motive behind Bunton’s actions remains unclear, although the Johnson family had often taken her in.
During the court proceedings, Johnson’s mother, Delia Berry, shared her heartbreak.
“The first time I saw you in chains, it broke me,” she said, holding a photo of her daughter. “I took care of you.”
