Trial begins for Greensburg man charged with attempted murder of New Kensington cops

New Kensington detective Sam Long told a Westmoreland County jury the shots came suddenly as he and two other investigators circled a block in an unmarked white van on the lookout for man wanted for attempted murder.

“We circled again and were on Kenneth Avenue when I saw legs, then the first shot was fired. I immediately accelerated. All the windows were blown out,” Long testified Monday during the first day of trial of a Greensburg man charged in connection with the Feb. 4, 2020, shooting in New Kensington.

Ezra “Klipz” Grant, 21, is charged with three counts each of attempted murder, assault of a police officer, aggravated assault and two weapons offenses. J’Lamar Washington, 19, of Duquesne, is charged with identical offenses. His case is scheduled for trial next month.

Authorities said none of the officers were injured in the shooting.

Defense attorney Joseph Otte, in his opening statement to the jury, suggested another man, and not Grant, was the shooter.

“Your job is to determine who pulled the trigger,” Otte said, suggesting the key witness against Grant gave faulty information to police in hopes of getting lighter sentences in several unrelated robbery cases.

Tywone McClain, 23, of Duquesne, testified that he — along with his younger brother, Washington, Grant and two others — were walking the streets of New Kensington when he spotted the unmarked police van and initially believed they were seeking him out because of an outstanding warrant.

McClain told jurors he saw both Grant and Washington had guns, overheard Grant say he intended to shoot at the van, heard the shots fired and ran. He later said Washington took both weapons and hid them at their sister’s home in Duquesne.

McClain was eventually arrested and initially implicated Grant in the shooting, prosecutors said.

“That first statement was all a lie. I blamed everything on the defendant to protect my little brother,” McClain testified.

During questioning by Otte, McClain told jurors he cooperated with federal and local police in multiple investigations involving local street gang members, including reports of contract killings and robberies and denied he was promised leniency in return for his testimony.

Assistant District Attorney Anthony Iannamorelli told jurors Grant was one of the shooters and his intentions were clear.

“The defendant meant to take these officers’ lives,” Iannamorelli said.

Testimony will continue on Tuesday before Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Mears.