Guilt and Verdicts in the 2021 Albany Shooting Death of Shanita Thomas
A jury in Albany County Court convicted two men on Tuesday for their roles in the January 30, 2021, shooting death of Shanita Thomas, who was caught in the crossfire of a gang dispute during a friend’s business grand opening on Central Avenue. Raa’jiem Coleman was convicted of second-degree murder, second-degree attempted murder, and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. His co-defendant, Marcel Perry, was convicted of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
Thomas, a 35-year-old mother of two who was pregnant with her third child, an aspiring nurse, and a promoter of her friends’ businesses, was attending the evening celebration at 211 Central Avenue when gunfire broke out. According to evidence presented during the nearly two-week trial and detailed by Peter Willis, a Schenectady County Assistant District Attorney and special prosecutor for the case, the violence erupted shortly after Coleman arrived. The confrontation pitted Coleman and Vramir Branch against Perry and Terrence Anthony.
Willis stated that Coleman fired the shot that fatally struck Thomas, who was an entirely innocent bystander helping her friends host the event. Another woman at the party was also struck in the chest and elbow by gunfire from Coleman.
Defendants Face Multiple Indictments Leading to Guilty Pleas
The path to Tuesday’s verdict spans several years and multiple indictments. Coleman and Perry were originally indicted on murder charges in October 2022 alongside Terrence Anthony, while Vramir Branch had been charged with Thomas’s murder a year prior. When the trial began on October 14, both Anthony and Branch pleaded guilty to second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
Branch agreed in a plea deal to serve 10 years in prison, according to his attorney, William Theodore Martin. My client is glad to close this chapter,
Smalls said, adding, And hopefully the family of this victim can get some type of closure.
The complex prosecution also saw legal shifts away from the Albany County District Attorney’s Office. Special prosecutor Willis was appointed because District Attorney Lee Kindlon had previously represented Anthony in his capacity as a defense attorney. The case also intersected with a separate criminal proceeding involving attorney Jasper L. Mills III, who previously represented Branch. Mills was indicted on multiple felony charges for allegedly disclosing the name of a confidential witness, prompting his removal from the case.
Friends Mourn Victim as Court Schedules December Sentencings
The tragic loss of the aspiring nurse sent ripples through the community, leaving a profound void for her family and friends. Following Tuesday’s verdict, a friend shared on Facebook that while the legal outcome offered a measure of justice, no sentence could ever truly reverse the tragedy.
The void you left in our lives and hearts will remain forever,
she wrote. Nothing can replace your presence, your smile, your laughter, or the memories we should still be making together.
Court records show that Anthony and Branch are scheduled to be sentenced on December 18. Defendants Coleman and Perry will face sentencing on January 15.
