Witness challenged in subway slaying

Defense attorneys for three teenagers on trial for last year's subway concourse beating that resulted in the death of Sean Patrick Conroy challenged the credibility of a key prosecution witness yesterday - an alleged accomplice who has pleaded guilty.

Rasheem Bell, 17, on Monday presented the Common Pleas Court jury with the back story to the March 26, 2008, assault on Conroy, 36, the manager of a Center City Starbucks store. He was beaten on the concourse along the 13th Street station of the Market-Frankford Subway-Elevated Line.

Bell testified that several hours before the assault, Kinta Stanton, 17, one of the three on trial, was accused at Simon Gratz High School in North Philadelphia of cheating to win a card game. Stanton's winnings were thrown at him, Bell said.

That incident, Bell testified, led to taunting of Stanton for failing to beat the student who disrespected him. It all culminated with a dare leading to the random attack on Conroy at 2:30 p.m. as he walked in the concourse. Punched and kicked, Conroy had a stress-induced asthma attack and died at 3:09 p.m. in a hospital emergency room.

"You never told that story to detectives before you told us here?" asked Lee Mandel, attorney for Nashir Fisher, 17, referring to the card-game anecdote that Bell related on Monday.

"No," replied Bell.

Defense attorneys for Stanton and Ameer Best, 18, challenged Bell's testimony implicating himself, the three on trial, and another teen - Arthur Alston, 18, who also pleaded guilty - but exonerating Bell's friend Tim Rhodes.

According to trial testimony, Rhodes was the one who dared the others to pick a victim. But Bell insisted Rhodes stood by and watched and warned the others when he saw a SEPTA police officer approach.

The defense attorneys also questioned Bell's claim that he was remorseful for helping to kill Conroy.

"But it took 11 months for your remorse to develop?" asked Lonny Fish, Stanton's attorney, referring to the time between Bell's arrest and guilty plea.

Also testifying was Vance Boston, a correctional officer at the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center, who told the jury about an Oct. 21 incident involving Best, then being held pending trial.

Boston said Best was dancing and appeared to be mocking Boston's partner, a female correctional officer, behind her back. Boston said he warned Best to stop being disrespectful and, when Best objected, escorted him to his cell.

Boston said Best then threatened him, using an expletive and adding: "You're going to be next on my list. . . . You're going to be number two."

Also yesterday, the jury went for an escorted walk through the concourse to the crime scene.

The 12 jurors and two alternates were solemn as they walked by and inspected the stairwell where Conroy was jumped and assaulted and became unconscious.

Though the field trip took just 10 minutes, it took several hours of logistics for Philadelphia sheriff's deputies and SEPTA police. Authorities had to cordon off the public from part of the westbound concourse at 13th Street and then escort the jurors, judge, lawyers, reporters, and three defendants to the scene.

Though Best and Fisher are out of prison on bail but under house arrest, Stanton remains in prison after an incident earlier this year in which authorities said he shot and wounded a friend while playing with a gun.

Stanton's attorney tried to prevent news photographers on the street from taking shots showing Stanton's handcuffs. He was unsuccessful, though the cuffs were hidden from the jury.