Prosecutors gain cooperation from 4 charged in New Kensington killing

Dec. 1—Four of seven defendants charged in connection with the killing of a New Kensington man last year are cooperating with Westmoreland County prosecutors.

Assistant District Attorney Leo Ciaramitaro said during a court hearing Friday that two young men and a juvenile who were scheduled to go on trial next week for the July 3, 2022, fatal shooting of 39-year-old Jason Raiford are among the 12 potential witnesses who could be called to testify against their remaining three co-defendants.

Jury selection is expected to start Monday in the cases against Amir Kennedy, 16, of New Kensington, whom prosecutors claim fired the 11 shots that killed Raiford; DaMontae Brooks, 17, of New Kensington; and 20-year-old Elijah Gary, of New Kensington, whom authorities said initiated the fatal attack.

Common Pleas Judge Christopher Feliciani ordered the cases against Raquan Carpenter, 20, of Pittsburgh; Jonathan Felder, 19, of Arnold; and Avian Molter, 16, of Pittsburgh to be disposed of at a later date after prosecutors announced they had agreed to cooperate with authorities.

Defense attorney Brian Aston confirmed Carpenter's status as a cooperating witness.

"We are hoping the commonwealth will take his cooperation into consideration and provide the appropriate plea offer," Aston said.

They, along with a seventh defendant, Braedon Dickinson, 16, of New Kensington, have in the past several weeks worked with investigators, Ciaramitaro said.

"There have been no plea deals extended to any of those individuals," Ciaramitaro said. "There's been no offers of leniency or anything that has been extended by the commonwealth. I'm sure the defendants are hopeful for future leniency."

All seven original defendants were charged with criminal homicide, second-degree murder, robbery, aggravated assault and conspiracy.

Dickinson's case was transferred to juvenile court last spring, and he was placed on house arrest after being hospitalized following a failed suicide attempt while in custody at Westmoreland County's now-shuttered juvenile detention center in Hempfield.

Prosecutors said last month that Dickinson was on the run, but he has since been taken into custody.

Dickinson is scheduled to appear Dec. 21 before Common Pleas Judge Michele Bononi on a prosecution request to return his case to the adult criminal justice system, where he potentially faces decades in prison if convicted. If he is tried and convicted in juvenile court, he cannot be held in custody beyond his 21st birthday.

Carpenter is expected to testify at next week's trial. Molter, Felder and Dickinson are listed as potential prosecution witnesses.

Prosecutors claim Raiford was ambushed in the lobby of the Valley Royal Court Apartments. The shooting was recorded on security video.

Police said Kennedy fired all 11 shots that struck Raiford, including four that hit him while he was lying face down on the ground, according authorities.

Carpenter told investigators he gave a gun to Gary, who claimed he was owed a $100 debt from Raiford. Investigators said Brooks also had a gun as the men surrounded Raiford and a melee ensued and later spilled outside the building just before the fatal shooting.

Rich Cholodofsky is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Rich by email at rcholodofsky@triblive.com or via Twitter .