Hot 97 Fires Paddy Duke After Being Linked To Murder Of Yusef Hawkins

Paddy Duke Fired By Hot 97 After Being Linked To Murder Of Yusef Hawkins

Hot 97 Radio executive Paddy Duke, has been fired after a new documentary alleged that he was part of a mob that killed a Black teen in the ’80s.

The HBO documentary titled Storm Over Brooklyn documented the brutal killing of Black teenager Yusef Hawkins by a mob of 30 white men armed with baseball bats. Duke was identified as being one of those 30 men (allegedly.)

“He told me that he got swept up in the Yusef Hawkins situation. He also told me he didn’t have nothing to do with it,” Hot 97’s Ebro said. “This was — had to have been more than 8-10 years ago. I didn’t know that he had a misdemeanor and I didn’t know that his record had been expunged.”

After watching HBO’s Storm over Brooklyn, HOT97 was shocked and took swift action. Paddy Duke is no longer employed by HOT97. The march for social justice continues. (Getty Images: Spencer Platt / Staff) pic.twitter.com/pDyyebjalJ

— HOT 97 (@HOT97) August 23, 2020

“Based on what I know about the NYPD,” Ebro continued. “Neighborhoods getting swept up around a murder that’s normal procedure especially in the late ’80s and ’90s. … And what am I going to say to a guy I work with? I don’t believe you?”

Duke was one of several arrested and charged but was acquitted for his part in the killing. He was convicted was convicted of three counts of unlawful imprisonment, four counts of menacing and criminal possession of a weapon.

He was acquitted of four discrimination charges and remained free on $75,000 bail pending his April 23 sentencing.