Coatesville man convicted in shooting
former member of the Young Guns, a violent, drug-dealing street gang in Coatesville, has been convicted of third-degree murder and conspiracy.
A former member of the Young Guns, a violent, drug-dealing street gang in Coatesville, has been convicted of third-degree murder and conspiracy to commit aggravated assault. He also was acquitted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.
After a weeklong trial, a Chester County Court jury, which deliberated late into Friday night, found Odell "Zelly" Q. Cannon, 32, played a role in the death of Brian Keith Brown on April 1, 2006.
Brown, who had just turned 29, was found at 3:05 a.m. lying on a city sidewalk with multiple gunshot wounds to his chest, neck and head. He died at Lancaster General Hospital a couple of hours later. A Coatesville resident with a history of narcotics offenses, Brown had been home less than three weeks after serving a 65-to-130-month prison term for his role in the 2000 shooting of Lamont McMillan in Coatesville.
Deputy District Attorney Ronald Yen had argued that Cannon, who has been serving a 15-year federal sentence for weapons violatons, ordered Brown shot in retaliation for the shooting earlier the same night of Cannon's older brother, Jonas L. Suber, who was treated for minor gunshot injuries at Brandywine Hospital.
Defense attorney Thomas Burke agreed that revenge was the motive. However, he maintained that the score involved the shooting of McMillan, not Suber, and that his client was not a participant.
Terry Jermaine "TJ" Gardner, 27, of Coatesville, identified by police as the triggerman in the Brown homicide, is awaiting trial.