Three people charged with helping a man who was wanted in connection with the shooting of a McKeesport police officer in December will face trial.
Daniel M. Neal, 19, Gesiah N. Grigsby, 21, and Jasmyn Henderson-Bracey, 25, all of McKeesport, appeared for a preliminary hearing on Friday. Magisterial District Judge Eugene Riazzi ordered them to stand trial on a felony count of hindering apprehension in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court.
A charge against Justine D. Kenyatta, 20, of East Stroudsburg was withdrawn by the prosecution earlier this week.
All four were charged after investigators said they were seen on security camera footage helping Koby Francis following the Dec. 20 shooting.
Francis, who had been arrested for violating a Protection From Abuse order that day was transported to headquarters by McKeesport police Officer Geriasimo Athans that afternoon. Police said that Francis, who had been handcuffed behind his back, was able to maneuver his hands to the front, and had a revolver hidden on him.
As Athans removed Francis from the patrol car, Francis fired two shots at the officer, who was struck in the neck, police said. The suspect then fled. He was arrested nine days later in West Virginia.
Athans said during Francis’ preliminary hearing last week that he failed to search the suspect before putting him in his patrol car.
Investigators searching for Francis reviewed surveillance footage from a store in Crawford Village and said it showed all four of the defendants in the hindering case inside with Francis about three hours after the shooting.
In the video, Francis briefly removes a hood partially covering his face, and showing his wrists we’re still handcuffed, police said.
In the criminal complaint, police said Francis and Neal exited together, with Neal looking outside first and then nodding to tell Francis it was safe to exit.They then left in a car with Neal driving.
