Mariners Harbor man pleads guilty in slaying

Luke Wilder, 32, of Mariners Harbor, has pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A Mariners Harbor resident has admitted to killing another resident of his community two years ago.
Luke Wilder, 32, has pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter stemming from the Aug. 7, 2009, death of Jamel Bazemore, 29.
Prosecutors accused Wilder of gunning down the victim outside the Arlington Terrace Apartments.
Bazemore, who lived on nearby Pond Way, was hit with a bullet in the head shortly after 7 p.m. in front of the entrance to 85 Holland Ave., said authorities.
Wilder fled the scene and was arrested about six weeks later.
Shortly after the killing, a resident, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Advance that Bazemore was slain after walking toward the apartment buildings.
Wilder approached the victim and shot him, according to a law enforcement source.
The source said Wilder initially had claimed self-defense but a witness disputed that account. The witness said there was no struggle before the shooting.
Police said the two men knew each other.
Bazemore’s family said the victim worked as a deliveryman for a Staten Island auto-parts company.
Nicknamed "Mellow" for his easygoing demeanor, Bazemore had settled in Mariners Harbor with his mother about a decade before he was slain.
Wilder was indicted on second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter and weapons charges. He was pronounced fit for trial in October of last year after undergoing psychiatric exams.
Under the plea deal reached yesterday, Wilder will be sentenced to 15 years in prison, said a spokesman for District Attorney Daniel Donovan. Sentencing is slated for May 20.
His lawyer could not immediately be reached today for comment.