3 Waive Preliminary Hearing In Beating Death Of Homeless Man In Olney
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It was a lie by a child that turned into a murder.
Now, three young women have waived their preliminary hearing in a "revenge" beating death that was captured by surveillance video of a homeless man in the Olney section of Philadelphia. Three youngsters involved recently pleaded guilty and remain in the juvenile system.
All told, three women, Aleathea Gillard, Kaisha Duggins and Shareena Joachim, and three juveniles, were charged in the beating of 51-year-old Robert Barnes at a gas station in April 2015. He was in a coma for seven months, and then died in November. Barnes had been pumping gas for spare change when he was attacked after Gillard's 10-year old son lied after he returned home late and said Barnes had struck him.
To exact revenge, Assistant District Attorney Chesley Lightsey alleges the three women used wood from a broken chair, a hammer, and pepper spray to pummel Barnes, and three youngsters, two boys and a girl, between 12-14, also got in blows, all of which show up on video.
"There was nothing to be gained by putting the evidence on," said Lightsey, "and putting the family through watching this in the courtroom."
Could waiving the adult's preliminary hearing lead to a plea arrangement?
"Sometimes it means defense counsel will come to us and ask for something less than 1st degree murder," the assistant DA said. "That has not happened."
Lightsey is preparing for a trial, but notes the three youngsters pleaded guilty to third degree murder, and remain in the juvenile system.
"The children received that deal because they were led their by adults," she said. "Knowing children to be who they are, we gave them a deal, especially because two of these kids were taken there by their own parent."
Defense lawyer Jeremy Alva represents Gillard, who allegedly inflicted the most savage blows.
"And it's clear my client's son was not telling the truth," Alva said. "However, Ms. Gillard is a mother of children who had a newborn child at home, and in the heat of the moment, and acted out in a manner than she should not have acted."
He said she had no prior criminal record.
