Guilty Verdict in 2016 Beating, Homicide

BOSTON, March 26, 2018—One man has been found guilty of murdering Chaz Burton in Mattapan, and a second has been convicted of beating him during the 2016 assault that took the 26-year-old man’s life, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

ABDULLAH YASIN, 24, of Jamaica Plain was found guilty of second-degree murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Jurors convicted FABIAN LLANO, 27, of Lynn of two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and a single count of misleading a police officer but acquitted him of murder. Both defendants had been indicted for first-degree murder in addition to the assault charges.

During the course of the trial, Assistant District Attorney Tara Burdman of the DA’s Homicide Unit presented evidence and testimony to prove that Burton attended a party at a River Street residence during the early morning hours of March 27, 2016, but left with a group of acquaintances after becoming involved in a verbal altercation with two individuals acquainted with Yasin and Llano.

After leaving the party, however, Burton again encountered those individuals outside and the two groups became involved in a physical altercation. During the incident, a group that included Yasin and Llano spilled out of the party and joined in the fracas. Burton attempted to flee but was pursued by the group as he ran inside the building where the party was held, the evidence showed.

The assault on Burton continued inside the building, where, the evidence proved, Llano threw a metal stand that struck the victim. Burton was shot during the assault and attempted to run for an exit before collapsing. A security camera inside the building captured Yasin and Llano stomp on Burton’s head as he lay mortally wounded, prosecutors proved.

Llano later made misleading statements to members of the Boston Police Department who were investigating Burton’s murder.

Yasin and Llano were among nine defendants charged in the fatal assault. BENJAMIN TATE, 25, faces trial at a later date on a charge of first-degree murder.

DEBORAH TATE, 43; LASHON TATE, 26; GEORGE TATE, 24; MICHAEL TATE, 30; and DWAYNE JOSEPH, 30, are each charged with lesser offenses for their roles in the assault and its aftermath and are scheduled for trials to be held later this year. STEPHON TATE, 54, previously pleaded guilty.

Assistant District Attorney Michael V. Glennon second-chaired at trial. Elise McConnell is the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocate. Yasin is represented by James Sultan and Llano by Liam Scully. Sentencing before Judge Janet Sanders will occur at a later date.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.