SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) - A Springfield man has been convicted of fatally shooting another city man in a dispute between rival street racing clubs.
The Republican (https://bit.ly/2kUZjLE ) reports that a jury convicted 25-year-old Benjamin Rivera on Friday of second-degree murder for the May 2013 shooting of Angel Llorens.
Prosecutors sought a first-degree murder conviction.
Rivera, although not a member, was associated with an illegal street racing club called Backyard Built. The 22-year-old Llorens was a member of the Team Built club.
Authorities say their dispute stemmed from an incident where a member of Backyard Built ripped a sticker off Llorens’ car.
Rivera testified at trial that the shooting was self-defense. He says Llorens threatened to get a gun and was “coming at me” with a hand behind his back.
Sentencing is scheduled for Monday.
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Information from: The Springfield (Mass.) Republican, https://www.masslive.com/news/
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