Cohoes man pleads not guilty in Ayshawn Davis’ killing
A 20-year-old Cohoes man was arraigned on a murder charge in Rensselaer County Court Monday for allegedly killing 11-year-old Ayshawn Davis in a drive-by shooting.
Jahquay Brown appeared before Judge Jennifer Sober for his arraignment on one count of second-degree murder. Brown pleaded not guilty.
District Attorney Mary Pat Donnelly turned over a transcript of a verbal statement that Brown made to police. Donnelly declined to describe what Brown said to police.
Assistant Public Defender Greg Cholakis said he would review the statement along with the rest of the discovery materials, which he described as voluminous.
Sober ordered Brown returned to the county jail where he has been held without bail. Brown faces up to life in prison if convicted on the charge.
Brown was indicted Thursday by a county g r a nd j ury f or a c t i ng wit h a nother pers on i n spraying a crowd of people wit h bul l et s a t a bout 11: 38 p. m. Sept. 13. The c harg e a l - l e g e s a .4 0- c a l i ber pi st ol was used i n t he shooti ng outs i de 2266 Old Sixth Ave. Ayshawn, t he onl y pers on hi t by t he
bul l et s, di e d.
Police seized a handgun and a vehicle when they arrested Brown at his residence at 324 Saratoga St., Cohoes, on Sept. 24. He was initially charged in Troy City Court.
Donnelly said Troy police continue to investigate the case.
During the initial search for the shooter in the incident, detectives concentrated on finding a vehicle which had been identified fro ms ur veillance cameras near the shooting scene.
Ayshawn’s violent death stunned Troy and Capital Region residents due in part to his age.
He was the city’ s 12 th homicide victim this year.
Since Ayshawn’s death, the number of homicides in Troy has risen to 13.