Trial Begins: Alleged Gang Members Face Justice for Bronx Teacher Kimberly Midgette's Fatal Shooting
A Bronx teacher, Kimberly Midgette, was killed in a mistaken-identity gang shooting in 2023. Two men now face trial over her death.
A high-profile murder trial commenced in Nassau County, prosecuting a reputed street gang leader and his alleged teenage hitman for the 2023 mistaken-identity killing of Kimberly Midgette, a Bronx elementary school teacher.
Prosecutors, led by Brian Rodriguez, presented opening arguments Thursday, asserting that Oumar Barry, 30, identified as a top-ranking Blood Hound Brims member, and Joel Badger, 21, who was 16 at the time of the incident, are responsible for Midgette's death.
Both men have pleaded not guilty to charges including murder, assault, and weapons offenses.
The prosecution detailed that Midgette was fatally shot because her blonde dreadlocks were tragically mistaken for a similar hairstyle worn by a rival gang member.
According to Rodriguez, Barry orchestrated the attack seeking retribution after he himself was shot the night before. Badger, described as a “pup” in gang terms, allegedly carried out the shooting with the aim of elevating his status within the gang hierarchy.
On the night of the killing, Midgette had been chatting with a friend until past midnight before they drove to drop off Midgette's 10-year-old daughter for a weekend visitation. Barry had earlier texted a gang compatriot, requesting “soldiers,” and Badger, eager to prove himself, answered the call.
The two men, who had never met prior to the crime, prepared for the revenge shooting by stealing a black Honda that a food delivery driver had left idling. Barry then escorted the stolen car in a red Honda.
At approximately 1:30 a.m., Midgette's Toyota Corolla pulled up to her daughter’s father's home on Polk Avenue, passing the two Hondas. Four shots were fired, with one hitting Midgette in the head, another striking her friend in the arm, and the remaining two lodging in her car's headrest and a parked vehicle.
The Hondas then sped away, and the stolen black Honda was later abandoned in Coram, where detectives discovered it four months later with two shell casings still in the front seat.
Prosecutor Rodriguez emphasized the “overwhelming” nature of the evidence against Barry and Badger. This includes cellphone tower data, text messages, private app communications, surveillance and police body camera footage, license plate reader photos, and ballistics testing.
It was noted that Badger is already serving a 22-year sentence in state prison for a Suffolk County conviction related to robbery and conspiracy to commit Midgette’s murder.
Despite the substantial evidence, defense attorneys urged the jury to maintain an open mind. George Michel, representing Oumar Barry, dismissed much of the prosecution’s presentation as “overdone noise” and contended that Barry did not order anyone to shoot.
Gregory Zak, Badger’s lawyer, focused on the credibility of cooperating witness Keysean Meade, who prosecutors allege drove one of the Hondas and witnessed the killing. Meade was 16 when implicated in the crime, prompting Zak to question his motives, stating, “He has a lifetime of reasons to lie for self-preservation” to avoid a potential life sentence.
Kimberly Midgette was portrayed by the prosecution as an innocent victim – a mother, daughter, sister, and friend – who was neither a gang member nor the intended target of the senseless violence.