On the night of July 7, 1988, Senior Court Clerk Alphonso B. Deal, 42, was shot and killed on West 140th Street in New York City after intervening when a man was being shot and robbed of his bicycle. At about 11:10 PM Deal tried to help the victim and move to apprehend the assailant; the suspect shot Deal, who later died at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. Deal returned fire and struck the suspect five times, wounding him. The suspect, described as 27 years old, was taken into custody. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to life, with reported eligibility for parole in 2033. Deal had worked for the New York State Office of Court Administration for 16 years.

Deal’s actions that night are described as an attempt to stop an armed robbery and aid the victim; he did not survive his wounds. Does anyone have memories of Deal, his work at the court, or details about the incident that could add to the record?