New Kensington teen seeks to move murder case to juvenile court

On Monday, the lawyer for a teenager charged in connection with a fatal shooting in New Kensington asked a Westmoreland County judge to transfer the case to juvenile court.

Da’Montae Marquis Brooks, 16, of New Kensington was the last suspect to be arrested in connection with the July 3 shooting of 39-year-old Jason Raiford. Brooks was taken into custody in September at a home in Dunbar.

He is one of four teens who were charged with criminal homicide. Three adults also were charged in connection with the shooting.

Defense attorney Patrica Elliott-Rentler said Brooks, who turned 16 in September, was improperly charged as an adult. The court filing suggested Brooks was amenable to supervision and rehabilitation in a juvenile facility.

“(Brooks) … will be able to establish that by a preponderance of the evidence transfer of the instant case to juvenile court will serve the public interest,” Elliott-Rentler wrote.

Homicide and conspiracy charges in connection with Raiford’s killing also are pending against Jonathan E. Felder, 18, of Arnold; Avian Molter, 15, of Uniontown; Elijah R. Gary, 18, of New Kensington; Raquan Carpenter, 19, of Pittsburgh; Braedon Dickinson, 14, of Herminie; and Amir Kennedy, 14, of New Kensington. Police said Kennedy fired the fatal shot from a rifle.

Police said Raiford was shot 11 times. Witnesses at a preliminary hearing in August testified the shooting at the Valley Royal Court Apartments was a result of a dispute over drugs and money.

Molter, Kennedy and Dickinson also were charged as adults.

Molter previously asked that his case be transferred to juvenile court. A hearing on his request was scheduled to be heard Dec. 22.

Teens convicted in juvenile court cannot be held in custody beyond their 21st birthday. Conviction to charges of first-degree or second-degree murder as an adult in Pennsylvania can result in a life prison sentence.

“We object to decertifying all of the juveniles who are charged as adults in this case,” said a statement released Monday by District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli.