Guilty verdicts in teen’s slaying
NORRISTOWN » Two Norristown men showed no emotion as a jury convicted them of murder-related charges in connection with the gunshot slaying of a 16-yearold Pottstown teen during an ongoing feud between rival groups from the two towns.
Isaiah “Zay” Freeman, who prosecutors said was the triggerman, was convicted of charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, aggravated assault and possession of an instrument of crime in connection with the 6:30 p.m.
July 6, 2017, gunshot slaying of Jordan Scott, and the wounding of a second teenager, Taye Wynder, who had been walking with Scott, at Chain Street and Blackberry Alley in Norristown.
Freeman, 19, of the first block of East Spruce Street, faces life imprisonment on the first-degree murder charge, which is an intentional killing.
William Durrell Wilson, who prosecutors said supplied the handgun to Freeman and who was the getaway driver, was convicted of third-degree murder, conspiracy to commit thirddegree murder, aggravated assault, possessing an instrument of crime and unsworn falsification to law enforcement authorities in connection with his role in the slaying.
Wilson, 31, of the first block of Zummo Way, faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 to 40 years in prison on the third-degree murder charge.
Judge Thomas C. Branca set July 10 as the formal sentencing date for both men.
The jury of eight women and four men deliberated five hours before reaching the verdict.
Relatives and friends of Scott, some of them with tears in their eyes, appeared pleased with the jury’s decision, one woman uttering, “Yes,” as Freeman’s first-degree murder conviction was announced by the jury forewoman.
The courtroom was heavily guarded inside and outside by about two dozen sheriff’s deputies.
The deliberations began after a day of closing statements by the lawyers.
As she delivered her closing statement to jurors, county Deputy District Attorney Samantha Cauffman argued “arrogance” exhibited by Freeman and Wilson is the reason Scott was murdered.
“Arrogance in their thinking they owned the streets. Arrogance in that they decide who lives and who dies. Show this team of killers the streets do not belong to them,” Cauffman argued.
During the trial, Cauffman described Wilson as “the over confident general with an arsenal” and Freeman as the “battle-hardened soldier full of anger and aggression,” two players who came together “in a mission of violence and murder.”
Prosecutors argued Freeman was the triggerman and Wilson supplied the murder weapon and was the getaway driver.
“It shows teamwork. It shows a shared intent. This murder would not have happened without both of them working together that night,” Cauffman argued to the jury.
Defense lawyer John I. McMahon Jr. didn’t dispute that Freeman shot Scott but he argued to the jury that Freeman was not guilty of first- or third-degree murder. McMahon suggested the case was more a manslaughter case and that Freeman acted under a “heat of passion.”
Manslaughter is punishable by 10 to 20 years in prison, much less than the penalties for first- and third-degree murder.
With its verdict, the jury rejected the manslaughter argument.
McMahon argued Scott mistakenly believed Freeman shot him a day earlier and that Scott and Wynder had come to Norristown to harm Freeman. Testimony revealed Scott and Wynder also were armed with guns at the time of the incident.
“You’re darn right he was experiencing overwhelming emotions…consisting of fear and anger. That’s exactly what his state of mind was…that’s why this was heat of passion,” McMahon argued during his closing statement. “His emotion is rising and rising and rising. This was all based on fear.”
Freeman, also known as “Young Bull Zay,” testified he was “nervous and scared” that Scott was out to kill him so he confronted the teen first, at a time when his “emotions were all over the place.”
But Cauffman argued Freeman was not fearful and that he intended to kill Scott.
Hinting at a motive for the killing Cauffman and co-prosecutor Roderick Fancher claimed Wilson and Freeman were a part of the same group of friends from Norristown that were feuding with Scott and others associated from Pottstown over several days leading up to July 6, 2017.
Prosecutors alleged Wilson encouraged his friends to settle the dispute through violent means, provided transportation to Pottstown on a previous occasion to do so, and provided firearms to his younger friends, including Freeman.
But defense lawyers argued to the jury that there was no conspiracy between Wilson and Freeman.
Defense lawyer A. Charles Peruto Jr., who represented Wilson, argued Wilson didn’t know that a shooting was going to occur that day and that Wilson had no issues with Scott.
During the trial, Bryce Byrd, 19, testified for prosecutors that he was in the backseat of Wilson’s 2013 Dodge Challenger when Wilson parked his car in the area of Blackberry and Jamison alleys and gave Freeman a handgun. Byrd said Freeman, the front seat passenger, was “hyped” and that Wilson “egged him on.” Byrd testified he watched as Freeman exited the vehicle, walked to the corner of Blackberry Alley and Chain Street and fired several gunshots.