Chester, PA — Jury selection commenced on Friday in the trial of three men accused in the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Samad Montgomery in 2021. The suspects, Hakeem Montes, 21, Khasir Bennett, 20, and Marlon Cooper, 21, all from Chester, are facing various charges including first-, second-, and third-degree murder, conspiracy, and firearms offenses.
This tragic event occurred on August 7, 2021, around 5 a.m. on the 1200 block of Clover Lane, where police discovered Montgomery alongside a vehicle, deceased from multiple gunshot wounds. The medical examiner confirmed the cause of death as homicide by gunshots.
Investigations revealed that nearby, authorities found multiple fired cartridge casings, including one 9 mm and nine .223 caliber shells. Detailed forensic analysis linked most of these casings to the same firearm, enhancing the complexities of the case. A cellphone discovered near the scene was traced back to Bennett, further intertwining his connection to the incident.
During the investigation, police recovered four cellphones from within the vehicle where Montgomery was found; however, none belonged to Montgomery, whose phone remains missing. The vehicle’s registration was traced back to a family member of Bennett, pointing to deeper potential involvements.
Marlon Cooper’s defense faced a hiccup on the same day as the jury selection. His attorney requested a continuance from Judge Dominic Pileggi, citing recently uncovered potential exculpatory evidence and difficulties in liaising with a key witness. However, the request was denied though the option to renew the motion was left open should new evidence emerge.
Prosecutors posit that Montgomery was enticed out on the fatal night by his acquaintances, who are now his accused killers, intending to murder him. This theory is backed by phone record analyses, which revealed multiple calls and messages exchanged between the victim and the defendants shortly before the crime occurred.
Particularly, Bennett’s phone was used to call Montgomery multiple times in the early hours of August 7, just before the incident. Additionally, Montes allegedly sought to procure a firearm hours before Montgomery’s death, a fact established through messages on his social media indicating urgent requests for a gun.
At the same time, Cooper reportedly attempted to acquire a firearm via a Delaware man, who was later charged with illegal arms dealing. The prosecution believes Montes and Bennett were the gunmen, aided by Cooper’s communications that allegedly lured Montgomery to the location where he was killed.
Legal representation for the defendants includes Stephen R. Ciarrocchi for Montes, William Davis for Bennett, and Bill Wismer for Cooper, each preparing to navigate the complexities of this high-stakes trial.
As the jury selection process continued into the afternoon, the court anticipates commencing testimony at the start of the coming week, with the eyes of Chester’s community closely watching the proceedings unfold.
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