Republic man held on attempted homicide after contentious hearing
A 23-year-old man was held for court on attempted homicide and other charges after a contentious preliminary hearing Monday which prompted a judge to cut the defense attorney鈥檚 extensive questioning short.
Obataiye 鈥淥ball鈥� Kareem Scott Jr. of Republic was charged for allegedly shooting a 46-year-old woman twice when she apparently became caught in crossfire attempting to break up a fight July 9.
Scott was also shot that day, but no arrests have been made after he reportedly refused to cooperate in the investigation.
Jennifer Mapstone was shot once in the arm near the elbow and once near the stomach, requiring a month-long hospital stay and causing a prolonged sickness, she testified.
Mapstone said she was talking to a friend, Cedric Harrison, near her South Hills Terrace apartment when Scott arrived around 3 a.m. with Mapstone鈥檚 niece, Jerree Mapstone, driving. She testified she saw Scott 鈥渟quare up鈥� to fight Harrison and then walk to her niece鈥檚 car, returning with a gun. He allegedly began chasing Harrison around a car, firing shots. She said she screamed for Scott to stop and felt a bullet go through her arm, then felt a burning sensation near her stomach.
鈥淚 told everyone, 鈥業鈥檓 hit! I鈥檓 hit!'鈥� she said.
Mapstone said she started walking toward her apartment, and her daughter ran down, responding to her screams.
鈥淚 felt all this blood coming out of me,鈥� she said.
She testified she was driven to Uniontown Hospital and told her daughter she was 鈥済oing to sleep.鈥� She woke up at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh, where she was flown by medical helicopter from Uniontown.
Mapstone testified she knew both Scott and Harrison.
Trooper Robert Schmid testified a 9-mm handgun, believed to be the one used in the shooting, was found discarded over the Belle Vernon Speers Bridge. Investigators took a DNA sample immediately before the hearing. Schmid testified no DNA was found on the gun, adding it was exposed to elements outside. He said further testing will be completed on a bullet removed from Mapstone. Scott was not licensed to carry a firearm and prohibited from carrying a gun due to previous felony convictions, he said.
Scott鈥檚 attorney, Pete J. Daley II, questioned Mapstone on her relationship to Harrison, which she described as 鈥渇riends,鈥� and whether she used any substances that night, which she said she did not. He then questioned her extensively on her position in relation to Scott and Harrison that morning and supposed inconsistencies in her initial statement to police.
Schmid testified additional information was revealed in further interviews after Daley asked him about inconsistencies in her statement.
鈥淭he court heard her testimony,鈥� Magisterial District Judge Mike Defino Jr. said. 鈥淚鈥檓 satisfied with it at this point.鈥�
Daley further questioned Schmid, prompting further rebuttal from Defino, saying his questioning was beyond the scope of a preliminary hearing and only appropriate for discovery.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e done, Mr. Daley. I鈥檝e given you extraordinary latitude today,鈥� Defino said, adding that the purpose of a preliminary hearing is to establish whether a crime was committed and who was the most likely perpetrator. He told Daley multiple times witness credibility is not relevant in a preliminary hearing.
Daley called a defense witness, Jerree Mapstone, which is not typical at a preliminary hearing. Defino notified her of the consequences of perjury after she was sworn in. Daley asked her only about four questions 鈥� her name, whether she was friends with Scott, whether she dropped him off and whether she left, without asking questions to elaborate or determine the timing of her departure.
Scott threw his head back and stared at the ceiling for about 30 seconds, then laid his head on the table after Defino said his charges were held and bail would stand at $150,000.
Scott is charged with criminal attempt to commit homicide, prohibited possession of a firearm, firearms not to be carried without a license, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and two counts of aggravated assault.
As Scott was escorted by troopers from his hearing, he said he was convinced he would be found not guilty on the charges.
鈥淪he testified that she got down and she left,鈥� he said, referring to Jerree Mapstone鈥檚 testimony. 鈥淣o car, no gun. Put that in the newspaper, ma.鈥�