Trial opens in slaying of Starbucks aide

The three teenagers who skipped high-school classes and allegedly caused the death of a Starbucks manager on a SEPTA concourse last year did so because they failed to adhere to a lesson that mothers teach their toddlers, the prosecutor said yesterday at the start of the teens' joint trial.

"What this case is really about," Jacqueline Juliano Coelho told the jury in Common Pleas Court, "is what every mother says to her 2-year-old child: Keep your hands to yourself. . . . Don't hit other people. Don't kick other people. Don't hurt other people.

"They didn't keep their hands to themselves," she said of the defendants.

Just as senseless is that they began hitting and kicking Sean Patrick Conroy - causing him to suffer a fatal asthma attack - on a dare, Coelho said.

Defense attorneys said that although their clients were on the subway platform during the attack March 26, 2008, they did not participate in the beating.

On trial facing third-degree murder and conspiracy charges are Kinta Stanton, 17, of Logan; Ameer Best, 18, of North Philadelphia; and Nashir Fisher, 17, of Tioga.

Arthur Alston, 18, of Olney, and Rasheem Bell, 17, of Juniata Park, already have pleaded guilty for their part in the attack and are scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 18 and Sept. 21, respectively.

This morning the jury was to visit the subway crime scene near 13th and Market streets.

Coelho's contention that the three defendants joined in punching and kicking the 36-year-old victim was bolstered by Bell.

Bell testified that he, Alston and the three defendants left Simon Gratz High School early and headed by subway to the Gallery mall under Market Street. They eventually met up with a sixth teen, Tim Rhodes, who is not facing charges.

While hanging out, Alston began teasing Stanton about money thrown in his face at school by another teen who disputed losing a card game, Bell said.

"Somebody's scared to hit somebody," Rhodes said, according to Bell.

This prompted Best and Stanton to tell the group that they were not afraid to hit someone, while Bell said that he and Fisher said that they did not want to be the first to swing.

With the dare voiced, Bell said, the group agreed to attack the next person they saw walking on the underground concourse.

It was Conroy, and they followed behind him for about two minutes before Alston punched him in the head with both fists, Bell said.

All except Rhodes followed suit, punching and kicking Conroy, even after he had fallen to the ground, said Bell, who faces as much as 80 years in prison and a $75,000 fine when sentenced.

When set upon, Conroy, who was engaged to be married, was on the way to the Starbucks store he managed on the concourse near 13th and Market streets in the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown.

"How does one go from walking down the concourse, looking forward to being married, to not being on the planet?" Coelho asked the jury.

Transit Police Officer Omari Bervine testified that while on duty, he heard the loud laughter of teenage males mingled with yells for help. Driving a golf-cart-like vehicle toward the sounds, he saw Conroy staggering and in distress while surrounded by four males.

He chased Stanton down and arrested him.

Transit Police Sgt. Christopher Hannigan testified that he witnessed the attack while standing on the platform on the opposite side of the train tracks.

He said he saw a tall teen draw his right hand back as far as he could pull it and hit Conroy in the head, leading to a flurry of punches. He was not able, however, to identify any of the defendants in court.

It was frequently noted that Best is the tallest defendant.

Richard Brown, representing Best, asked the jury to keep an open mind regarding the cause of Conroy's death, which he suggested could have resulted from allergies.