Testimony heated at murder hearing
Victim’s girlfriend says she helped assault other woman the night of the murder
POTTSTOWN >> The preliminary hearing for two people accused of murdering Artie Bradley in Pottstown on March 20 opened Friday with heated exchanges among attorneys and one of the witnesses.
Defendants Mariah Walton, 22, of Pottstown, and Richard Collins, 38, of Philadelphia, appeared in court Friday as three witnesses testified against them.
Sgt. Edward Kropp Jr. of Pottstown Police began testimony with a description of a controlled buy of crack cocaine that allegedly took place in January 2013 between a confidential informant and Collins. Still photos taken from the surveillance camera placed during the buy were presented in court as evidence of Collins’ and Walton’s involvement in the drug business.
The second witness to take the stand identified herself as Esther Saunders, who was charged in relation to the assault that occurred just hours before Bradley’s body was found at Washington and Beech streets on March 20.
In 90 minutes of testimony, Saunders described the night the assault took place, explaining that she had been friends with Collins and Walton and called them when she saw a familiar woman in Bradley’s apartment window on North Charlotte Street.
Saunders stated that she was Bradley’s girlfriend at the time and that she became an-
gry when she saw another woman in his apartment. She admitted that she did not know that woman’s name but that she had seen her before and knew that Walton and Collins had a problem with her. After Bradley had left, Saunders said, Walton and Collins arrived and entered the apartment where Walton and Saunders fought with the victim.
Saunders testified that the assault victim had her young son in the room but they allowed the child to leave before continuing with the assault.
“That was nice of you to wait until he left to continue. Thank you for that,” quipped Walton’s attorney in response to her explanation.
Additionally, Saunders explained during crossexamination that she had been aware that Bradley sold drugs and knew that his disputes with Collins had been over money that she suspected had been from drug deals. Saunders described conversations she had with Bradley on two different occasions regarding missing money.
On one occasion in February, she explained that Bradley had appeared “nervous” after a confrontation about $500 that Collins was missing. Saunders testified that after that confrontation, Bradley wrote down a list of who to contact should
something happen to him. The prosecution presented the writing prefaced by an explanation that it was to be submitted as “excited utterance.”
The defense quickly objected arguing that Saunders’ statement that Bradley “appeared nervous” when writing the statement was not enough to justify the writing as an excited utterance. The prosecution rebutted and the objection was overruled.
Saunders’ statement that Bradley had participated in drug sales with Collins and Walton was met with a scoff by Collins and an immediate objection by defense attorneys. The objection was overruled and after a brief consultation of both parties and District Judge Scott Palladino, Saunders was advised of her Fifth Amendment rights and reminded that her statements during the hearing could be used in the proceedings for her own charges. She continued with testimony regarding the assault and Bradley’s drug activity.
Detective Brooke Fisher was the third witness called to testify. Fisher told the court that she had been present for the police interview with the assault victim. Before questioning could continue however, the defense was quick to object to the admissibility of a victim’s statement as evidence without their presence. Arguments for and against the interview’s admissibility were fired back and forth for several minutes, culminating
in the defense’s disgust at the decision to overrule the objection. The hearing was then scheduled to be continued.
The continuance is scheduled for June 24 at 11 a.m. before Palladino and is expected to include lengthy testimonies from two additional witnesses.
Collins is currently facing charges of first degree murder, conspiracy, burglary, criminal trespassing, firearms not to be carried without a license, manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to deliver, terroristic threats, possession of a weapon, intent to possess a controlled substance, use or possession of drug paraphernalia, simple assault, receiving stolen property and possession of a firearm prohibited.
Walton is charged with first degree murder, conspiracy, burglary, criminal trespassing, manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to deliver, intent to possess a controlled substance, use or possession of drug paraphernalia, unsworn falsification to authorities, simple assault and receiving stolen property.