Post by CCADP on Apr 16, 2006 14:45:31 GMT -5
3 in Chester gang guilty of slaying fed witness.
Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2006 Philadelphia Daily News
Byline: Michael Hinkelman
Apr. 13--After deliberating for eight days, a federal jury yesterday found three Chester men guilty of murder, gun and drug-trafficking charges, including the murder of federal witness Tracey Saunders in 2001. All three - brothers Vincent and Jamain Williams, and Andre Cooper - could get the death penalty. The penalty phase of the trial is scheduled to begin Tuesday. The defendants - each of whom was found guilty of participating in three murders - showed little emotion as a jury foreman read the verdicts. Prosecutors and defense attorneys declined comment afterward pending the penalty phase of the trial. The Williams brothers and Cooper belonged to a ruthless Chester gang known as the Boyle Street Boys, named after a street in the Chester neighborhood where gang ringleader Vincent Williams, 27, lived. During the 10-week trial, the feds called more than 100 witnesses, including some gang members who had been indicted and who agreed to cooperate with the government. Saunders, a mother of two, agreed to plead guilty a month later to one count of illegally buying a gun for Vincent Williams. She was killed Oct. 8, 2001, just hours before she was scheduled to show up in court to enter a plea and to agree to testify against Vincent Williams. A gang member who began cooperating with authorities after he was indicted, Brian Rogers, told the jury he had fired two shots into Saunders' head after Vincent Williams ordered the hit. After Saunders' murder, the investigation of the gang intensified, leading to the indictment in February 2003 of the Williams brothers, Cooper and seven others on murder, gun, drug and racketeering charges. The other defendants subsequently entered guilty pleas or began cooperating with the government against the Williamses and Cooper. Saunders' brother, Rodney Bradley, was in the courtroom yesterday when the verdicts were announced. Afterward, he said he was pleased with the verdicts. "I'm happy for my family, my mother, Tracey's kids, that's who I'm happy for," he said. "We can begin to heal knowing that justice has been served. They won't be able to hurt another mother's child like my mother." Bradley also said he hoped that the verdicts would encourage witnesses to come forward and talk with cops when they see crimes being committed. "Hopefully, this will give them the courage to get involved. Many [witnesses] won't talk because they don't believe anything will happen to these guys," Bradley said.
Copyright (c) 2006, Philadelphia Daily News
Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2006 Philadelphia Daily News
Byline: Michael Hinkelman
Apr. 13--After deliberating for eight days, a federal jury yesterday found three Chester men guilty of murder, gun and drug-trafficking charges, including the murder of federal witness Tracey Saunders in 2001. All three - brothers Vincent and Jamain Williams, and Andre Cooper - could get the death penalty. The penalty phase of the trial is scheduled to begin Tuesday. The defendants - each of whom was found guilty of participating in three murders - showed little emotion as a jury foreman read the verdicts. Prosecutors and defense attorneys declined comment afterward pending the penalty phase of the trial. The Williams brothers and Cooper belonged to a ruthless Chester gang known as the Boyle Street Boys, named after a street in the Chester neighborhood where gang ringleader Vincent Williams, 27, lived. During the 10-week trial, the feds called more than 100 witnesses, including some gang members who had been indicted and who agreed to cooperate with the government. Saunders, a mother of two, agreed to plead guilty a month later to one count of illegally buying a gun for Vincent Williams. She was killed Oct. 8, 2001, just hours before she was scheduled to show up in court to enter a plea and to agree to testify against Vincent Williams. A gang member who began cooperating with authorities after he was indicted, Brian Rogers, told the jury he had fired two shots into Saunders' head after Vincent Williams ordered the hit. After Saunders' murder, the investigation of the gang intensified, leading to the indictment in February 2003 of the Williams brothers, Cooper and seven others on murder, gun, drug and racketeering charges. The other defendants subsequently entered guilty pleas or began cooperating with the government against the Williamses and Cooper. Saunders' brother, Rodney Bradley, was in the courtroom yesterday when the verdicts were announced. Afterward, he said he was pleased with the verdicts. "I'm happy for my family, my mother, Tracey's kids, that's who I'm happy for," he said. "We can begin to heal knowing that justice has been served. They won't be able to hurt another mother's child like my mother." Bradley also said he hoped that the verdicts would encourage witnesses to come forward and talk with cops when they see crimes being committed. "Hopefully, this will give them the courage to get involved. Many [witnesses] won't talk because they don't believe anything will happen to these guys," Bradley said.
Copyright (c) 2006, Philadelphia Daily News