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Long Island resident David Cruz, age 32, of Medford, was sentenced to 24 years behind bars in Suffolk County Court on Friday, June 30, in the beating death of Jake Scott.
It followed his jury conviction for first-degree manslaughter in April 2023.
According to the Suffolk County DA’s Office, it was around 2:45 a.m. on Aug. 21, 2022 when the two men got into an argument after Scott called Cruz a “weirdo.”
Aware of the building’s exterior surveillance camera, Cruz repeatedly attempted to lure Scott out of the camera’s view, prosecutors said.
After failing to do so, Cruz was captured on video removing his shirt and using it to cover the camera.
With the camera's view now obstructed, and seemingly unaware of another security camera at a nearby business that would capture the attack, the 6-foot-5, 270 pound Cruz unleashed a series of brutal punches on Scott, according to prosecutors.
Video shows him delivering the first punch as Scott stands up from a chair, knocking him onto a sidewalk.
It then shows Cruz getting on top of Scott and repeatedly punching him in the head, eventually knocking him unconscious.
“When Scott lay motionless and unconscious on the ground, the defendant grabbed the victim’s shirt and pulled him up with it yelling at him to get up,” Suffolk County DA Raymond Tierney said in a previous statement.
“When Scott didn’t respond, the defendant dropped him back to the ground and delivered a final blow to the victim’s head before fleeing the scene.”
Scott was placed in a medically induced coma at Stony Brook Hospital, where doctors discovered that he had suffered a brain bleed, a complete skull fracture, and a traumatic brain injury. He died 11 days later.
Cruz surrendered to Suffolk County Police three days after the attack.
On April 24, a Suffolk County jury found Cruz guilty of first-degree manslaughter, a violent felony.
In addition to his time behind bars, he will have to complete five years of post-release supervision.
“We are satisfied that justice was served, and that this defendant was held accountable for his actions by the trial jury and now the court,” Tierney said in a statement.
“This lengthy prison sentence will allow the defendant to reflect on the fact that because he chose to violently rob Jake Scott of his life, he will now spend significant time behind bars.”
Friday’s sentencing came days after Scott’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Tailgaters Sports Bar and its owner, Dorielle Bennett, as Daily Voice previously reported.
The suit, which also names Cruz’ employer, First Choice Protection, and Cruz himself, alleges that he was hired despite having a “lengthy” criminal history.
“The Bar, Tailgaters, is liable because they had notice of Mr. Cruz's violent propensity and, yet, continued to utilize his services as a bouncer. They collectively failed to train and supervise Mr. Cruz in his duties as a bouncer,” the family’s attorney, Jon Bell, told Daily Voice.
"There is no dollar amount that will ever heal the horrific pain inflicted upon Jake Scott's family,” he continued. “All parties who were responsible for the death of Scott need to experience the consequences of their actions.”
Daily Voice reached out to Tailgaters Sports Bar, but the business declined to comment on the lawsuit.
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