2 teens charged in New Kensington homicide appear before judge for welfare hearings

Two of the five teens in custody and charged as adults in the July homicide of a man in New Kensington appeared before District Judge Frank J. Pallone Jr. on Friday.

The hearings for Amir Kennedy, 14, and Avian Molter, 15, were held to check on their welfare as required by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act.

They are being held without bond in the juvenile pod at the Allegheny County Jail in Pittsburgh. They appeared separately before Pallone in shackles and wearing Allegheny County Jail jumpsuits.

The hearings determined each is safe at the jail and should remain there.

Police say Kennedy was the one who shot and killed 39-year-old Jason D. Raiford with a rifle July 3 at Valley Royal Court Apartments. Police say Molter gave Kennedy the rifle shortly before the encounter.

Police have not disclosed a motive.

Charges against Kennedy and Molter include criminal homicide, second-degree murder, robbery, aggravated assault, criminal conspiracy and possession of a firearm by a minor.

The law requiring the hearings was passed in 2018 and took effect last year. In checking their welfare, the hearings are intended to ensure they are not having contact with adults where they are being held.

“They’re kids,” said Kennedy’s attorney, Kenneth Noga. “You have to make sure they’re doing OK.”

Jail spokesperson Jesse Geleynse said boys are housed in a separate unit away from adults. As of Friday, 20 boys were housed in the unit. No girls are currently there; if any came to the jail, they would be housed separately.

“Correctional officers work together to clear hallways and elevators to ensure juveniles do not encounter adults when they leave the juvenile unit for court, social visitation or to attend school on the lower level of the facility,” Geleynse said.

Asked if he had access to medical treatment and if he was having any medical issues, Kennedy said he was receiving medication to help him sleep.

While Kennedy said he did not have any contact with adults at the jail, Molter said he has heard adult inmates talking, including conversations about sex with corrections officers.

“That’s nasty, by the way,” said Molter’s attorney, Valerie Veltri.

Asked whether he felt safe at the jail, Molter said, “Yeah.”

Molter said he was not being mistreated but that he had been punished once for something another inmate had done.

It was said both will receive schooling while in the jail.

Veltri said she will file a petition asking for Molter to be tried as a juvenile instead of as an adult.

“Given his age, I want him to be adjudicated under juvenile court,” she said. “I feel hopeful he can be rehabilitated.”

In addition to Kennedy and Molter, the other suspects in custody are Jonathan E. Felder, 18, of Arnold; Braedon M. Dickinson, 14, of Herminie; and Raquan Carpenter, 18, of Pittsburgh.

Police still are looking for Elijah R. Gary, 18, and Da’Montae M. Brooks, 15, both of New Kensington.

Both are described as Black. Gary is 6 feet tall and 260 pounds; Brooks is 5 feet tall and 100 pounds. They were last seen in the New Kensington area and might have ties to the Uniontown area.

Noga said Kennedy will waive his preliminary hearing. His formal arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 5, according to court records.

Preliminary hearings for the other defendants in custody are scheduled for Aug. 26 in Greensburg, according to the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office.