Rulings delayed in subway slaying case

A judge postponed ruling yesterday on two key motions in the case against Kinta Stanton, one of five teens charged in the slaying last year of a Starbucks manager on a Center City subway platform.

After a meeting in chambers with prosecutors and defense lawyers, Common Pleas Court Judge Benjamin Lerner said he would rule later on the motions - one seeking to have Stanton tried as an adult, the other seeking to disqualify defense attorney Lonny Fish.

Lerner also barred lawyers in the case from talking with the media regarding the discussions in his chambers.

Stanton, 16, and four other teens are accused of the March 26, 2008, beating of Sean Patrick Conroy, 36, on the concourse at 13th and Market Streets. Conroy suffered a fatal asthma attack triggered by the beating.

Stanton, who had been on house arrest, was back in jail last month. Police said he had shot a friend in the chest, critically wounding him, while playing with a gun April 8 in the basement of a North Philadelphia house.

After a previous hearing, Fish said prosecutors had filed a motion to remove him from the case because he went to Stanton's home shortly after the shooting. He said prosecutors wanted to consider him a fact witness in the shooting.

Fish also said that because of the new arrest, prosecutors had decided to try to reverse the decision to try Stanton as a juvenile.

Three of the other four youths - Arthur Alston, Ameer Best, and Nashir Fisher - are being tried as adults. They are charged with third-degree murder and conspiracy. In February, Rasheem Bell pleaded guilty to the same charges. He awaits sentencing.