Man faces trial in 2 slayings
Prosecutors say the two 2007 shootings were a result of a war between N. Philadelphia gangs.
A North Philadelphia man who prosecutors say could be responsible for multiple killings in a long-simmering war between two street-corner gangs was ordered yesterday to stand trial in the deaths in 2007 of two alleged rivals.
Municipal Court Judge James M. DeLeon found that there was enough evidence to try Fatih Anderson, 20, in the July 9, 2007, shooting death of James McClain, 21, and the Sept. 20, 2007, killing of Stephen Gates, 25.
Witnesses called to testify by Assistant District Attorney Gonen Haklay during yesterday's preliminary hearing described a series of killings going back to 2000, the results of a feud between a group from 18th and Cumberland Streets and another group - to which Anderson belonged - from nearby 15th Street.
"It's sad, man. The whole thing is sad. Period," testified Julius Roberts, who identified Anderson as one of two men who shot and killed Gates, Roberts' cousin.
"It was done right in front of my mother's house [in the 2500 block of North 17th Street], which I think is real disrespectful to my people," Roberts said.
Throughout the hearing, Anderson and Roberts repeatedly glared at each other.
Another witness, Michael Green, did not see any killings but testified that Anderson admitted to him that he had killed Gates, McClain and a third person. Green said Anderson admitted this while both were imprisoned in Philadelphia.
Haklay confirmed that Anderson was suspected in at least one other killing.
In a lengthy cross-examination, defense attorney J. Michael Farrell attacked the credibility of Roberts and Green because both had prior brushes with the law. He also questioned why the assailant in the cases would rob the victims and then shoot and kill them if the killings were part of a gang war.
"It was a robbery
and
a shooting," replied Roberts in an anger-tinged voice.