MikeIsaj
Member
Our DA gets it right again. A little background; The individuals initially charged are no angels and were well known to the local PD. They were confronted in the car as they returned to Andersons apartment. They then attempted to retreat approx five miles until they were acosted at a red light. It's good to see that the system eventually worked for the true victims. This is not unusual in Pa.
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/111-09082005-538401.html
DA: Fatal shooting self-defense
By HARRY YANOSHAK
Bucks County Courier Times
BENSALEM - The Bucks County District Attorney's Office has dropped attempted murder charges against two men in connection with the fatal shooting of 19-year-old William Collins III of Bensalem.
But authorities will prosecute two other men - a father and son - on aggravated assault charges related to the case.
The June 5 shooting at Route 1 and Old Lincoln Highway in Bensalem was justified, First Assistant District Attorney David Zellis said Wednesday, after attempted murder charges were dropped against Jason Anderson and Samuel Balogun, both 26-year-old Bensalem men. Anderson and Balogun fired a total of six shots, Zellis said.
A shot from Balogun's 9 mm handgun struck Collins after he had smashed the windows of a car carrying Anderson, Balogun and two other people with a baseball bat, said the prosecutor.
Another shot struck and injured a bystander, but none of Anderson's shots struck anyone, Zellis said.
"After a complete and thorough investigation, witness statements and physical evidence concluded that Balogun shot in self-defense and his actions were justified," Zellis said. "Anderson was also acting in self-defense."
It was unclear Wednesday why attempted murder charges were filed when the shooting resulted in a death.
Though the two no longer face attempted murder charges, Anderson was charged Wednesday with carrying a firearm - a .40-caliber handgun - without a permit, plus recklessly endangering another person and carrying a small amount of marijuana.
Also Wednesday, District Judge Joseph Falcone found sufficient evidence to hold Robert Shephard, 42, and his 26-year-old son, David Shephard, on aggravated assault charges. Authorities have called the men the "catalysts" behind the shooting.
At their preliminary hearing Wednesday, witness Mary Ann Werner and Collins' sister, Trish, placed the Shephards in the same car with Collins - an SUV that pursued the sedan carrying Anderson, Balogun and two others.
Police said the Shephards and Collins hunted down Anderson to avenge an alleged beating of 19-year-old Jennifer Shephard. She is Robert Shephard's daughter and David Shephard's sister.
But the trio's attempt to inflict street-style justice on Anderson backfired when Anderson and Balogun drew weapons, authorities said.
"These men hunted them down like deer to enact their own form of vigilante justice," county prosecutor Anthony Cappuccio said. "But you've got to assume that when you're going into a situation to create violence, you might be met with more violence."
During the hearing, county Detective Thomas Thiel testified that the father confessed he and his son recruited Collins because he knew where Anderson had lived. The goal, Thiel testified, was to "beat [Anderson] up" with a baseball bat that Robert Shephard had in his car.
The trio caught up with Anderson's Nissan at a red light at Route 1 and Old Lincoln Highway. After Collins got out of the Ford truck, swinging the bat and shattering the car's windows, Anderson and Balogun started shooting, police said.
Werner testified she saw one shot hit the man who had smashed the car's windows (Collins) and heard five more shots as he was walking back to the car carrying driver Robert Shephard and David Shephard, a front-seat passenger.
A stray bullet struck a construction worker from Texas who was staying at the nearby Neshaminy Inn motel on Route 1. Juan Javier Riojas, 36, was treated for a shoulder wound. Collins was pronounced dead about a half-hour after the shooting.
Bensalem police said the alleged assault on Jennifer Shephard wasn't reported until after the shooting. Anderson denied assaulting the woman, police said.
David Shephard remains in custody. He was recently convicted of a robbery in Bensalem and is awaiting sentencing.
Harry Yanoshak can be reached at 215-949-4203 or [email protected]
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/111-09082005-538401.html
DA: Fatal shooting self-defense
By HARRY YANOSHAK
Bucks County Courier Times
BENSALEM - The Bucks County District Attorney's Office has dropped attempted murder charges against two men in connection with the fatal shooting of 19-year-old William Collins III of Bensalem.
But authorities will prosecute two other men - a father and son - on aggravated assault charges related to the case.
The June 5 shooting at Route 1 and Old Lincoln Highway in Bensalem was justified, First Assistant District Attorney David Zellis said Wednesday, after attempted murder charges were dropped against Jason Anderson and Samuel Balogun, both 26-year-old Bensalem men. Anderson and Balogun fired a total of six shots, Zellis said.
A shot from Balogun's 9 mm handgun struck Collins after he had smashed the windows of a car carrying Anderson, Balogun and two other people with a baseball bat, said the prosecutor.
Another shot struck and injured a bystander, but none of Anderson's shots struck anyone, Zellis said.
"After a complete and thorough investigation, witness statements and physical evidence concluded that Balogun shot in self-defense and his actions were justified," Zellis said. "Anderson was also acting in self-defense."
It was unclear Wednesday why attempted murder charges were filed when the shooting resulted in a death.
Though the two no longer face attempted murder charges, Anderson was charged Wednesday with carrying a firearm - a .40-caliber handgun - without a permit, plus recklessly endangering another person and carrying a small amount of marijuana.
Also Wednesday, District Judge Joseph Falcone found sufficient evidence to hold Robert Shephard, 42, and his 26-year-old son, David Shephard, on aggravated assault charges. Authorities have called the men the "catalysts" behind the shooting.
At their preliminary hearing Wednesday, witness Mary Ann Werner and Collins' sister, Trish, placed the Shephards in the same car with Collins - an SUV that pursued the sedan carrying Anderson, Balogun and two others.
Police said the Shephards and Collins hunted down Anderson to avenge an alleged beating of 19-year-old Jennifer Shephard. She is Robert Shephard's daughter and David Shephard's sister.
But the trio's attempt to inflict street-style justice on Anderson backfired when Anderson and Balogun drew weapons, authorities said.
"These men hunted them down like deer to enact their own form of vigilante justice," county prosecutor Anthony Cappuccio said. "But you've got to assume that when you're going into a situation to create violence, you might be met with more violence."
During the hearing, county Detective Thomas Thiel testified that the father confessed he and his son recruited Collins because he knew where Anderson had lived. The goal, Thiel testified, was to "beat [Anderson] up" with a baseball bat that Robert Shephard had in his car.
The trio caught up with Anderson's Nissan at a red light at Route 1 and Old Lincoln Highway. After Collins got out of the Ford truck, swinging the bat and shattering the car's windows, Anderson and Balogun started shooting, police said.
Werner testified she saw one shot hit the man who had smashed the car's windows (Collins) and heard five more shots as he was walking back to the car carrying driver Robert Shephard and David Shephard, a front-seat passenger.
A stray bullet struck a construction worker from Texas who was staying at the nearby Neshaminy Inn motel on Route 1. Juan Javier Riojas, 36, was treated for a shoulder wound. Collins was pronounced dead about a half-hour after the shooting.
Bensalem police said the alleged assault on Jennifer Shephard wasn't reported until after the shooting. Anderson denied assaulting the woman, police said.
David Shephard remains in custody. He was recently convicted of a robbery in Bensalem and is awaiting sentencing.
Harry Yanoshak can be reached at 215-949-4203 or [email protected]
