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Syracuse, NY - Derek Williams arranged to buy marijuana Sunday in a South State Street parking lot and then sent another man to rob the seller of the marijuana, Williams told police.
However, the man he sent to rob Tavorn Hunter got into a struggle with Hunter during the robbery attempt and fatally shot Hunter, Williams said in his police statement.
Williams, 21, of 403 W. Beard St., was arraigned on charges of second-degree murder and first-degree attempted robbery Thursday morning in Syracuse City Court.
His accomplice remained at large while Williams was arraigned in front of City Court Judge Karen Uplinger.
Williams listened as a member of the Onondaga County District Attorney's office said Williams arranged the time and place of the robbery and supplied his accomplice with a cell phone, a Northface coat and a mountain bike.
Court papers did not identify the man who shot Hunter Sunday in the parking lot of the Middle East Market. Cameras at the market in the 1900 block of South State Street captured the struggle between Hunter and the gunman.
Williams told police that he tried to give the man he sent to rob Hunter a .38-caliber handgun, but the man refused.
The man "told me he didn't need it because he had a .40-caliber Taurus with him," Williams said in court papers. "I have seen this gun before... This is a community gun that is used by the Bricktown Gang."
In his statement to police, which was included in court papers, Williams said this began about 3:30 p.m. Sunday, when Williams texted Hunter to see if he had marijuana for sale. Hunter, Williams said, told him he had some ounces to sell.
"I told Tavorn Hunter to bring one ounce with him, and I told him I had $65 with me," Williams said in his statement.
Hunter agreed to meet in a half hour, Williams said.
That's when Williams contacted the man he wanted to rob Hunter, Williams said. He said he briefed the man and loaned him a bicycle, coat and hat to get to the store.
Ten minutes later, the man returned without Williams' hat and coat and without the bicycle, Williams said.
Williams said the other man told him that he entered Hunter's vehicle and demanded Hunter "give it up." Hunter then punched him and the two men fought with Hunter getting the best of the other man, Williams said in his statement.
Williams said the other man told Williams that he shot Hunter in the chest during the fight.
The other man ran from the shooting scene, leaving behind the bike and peeling off the coat and hat as he ran. He got rid of the coat because it had blood on it, he told Williams
"I have told detectives that I am responsible for making the phone calls to Tavon Hunter to get him to bring the marijuana to State Street," Williams said in his statement to police.
In his arraignment, Williams was quiet until the reading of the allegations against him. When the assistant district attorney read about the shooting, Williams wanted to know if he was being accused of actually shooting Hunter.
"The allegation is a co-defendant shot the victim in this case," a member of the district attorney's office said.
"You are accused of participating in the robbery and killing. You can talk about the facts of the case with your attorney," Uplinger said.
A not-guilty plea was entered on Williams' behalf and Williams was ordered held on no bail. Lawyer Patricia Campbell was assigned to represent Williams. His next court date will be on Nov. 1.
During the arraignment, a woman sitting on a bench filled with supporters of Williams became emotional and had to be taken by family members from the courtroom.
A member of Williams' family declined to talk with a reporter.
Hunter was taken to Upstate University Hospital from the parking lot and was pronounced dead at 6:25 p.m. after undergoing emergency surgery.
NewsHawk: MedicalNeed:420 MAGAZINE
Source:syracuse.com
Author: Robert A. Baker
Contact: Contact Us at syracuse.com: CNY's Leading News, Information and Community Web Site with The Post-Standard
Copyright: 2010 Syracuse Online LLC
Website:Court papers: Murder was a robbery of a marijuana dealer that went wrong | syracuse.com
However, the man he sent to rob Tavorn Hunter got into a struggle with Hunter during the robbery attempt and fatally shot Hunter, Williams said in his police statement.
Williams, 21, of 403 W. Beard St., was arraigned on charges of second-degree murder and first-degree attempted robbery Thursday morning in Syracuse City Court.
His accomplice remained at large while Williams was arraigned in front of City Court Judge Karen Uplinger.
Williams listened as a member of the Onondaga County District Attorney's office said Williams arranged the time and place of the robbery and supplied his accomplice with a cell phone, a Northface coat and a mountain bike.
Court papers did not identify the man who shot Hunter Sunday in the parking lot of the Middle East Market. Cameras at the market in the 1900 block of South State Street captured the struggle between Hunter and the gunman.
Williams told police that he tried to give the man he sent to rob Hunter a .38-caliber handgun, but the man refused.
The man "told me he didn't need it because he had a .40-caliber Taurus with him," Williams said in court papers. "I have seen this gun before... This is a community gun that is used by the Bricktown Gang."
In his statement to police, which was included in court papers, Williams said this began about 3:30 p.m. Sunday, when Williams texted Hunter to see if he had marijuana for sale. Hunter, Williams said, told him he had some ounces to sell.
"I told Tavorn Hunter to bring one ounce with him, and I told him I had $65 with me," Williams said in his statement.
Hunter agreed to meet in a half hour, Williams said.
That's when Williams contacted the man he wanted to rob Hunter, Williams said. He said he briefed the man and loaned him a bicycle, coat and hat to get to the store.
Ten minutes later, the man returned without Williams' hat and coat and without the bicycle, Williams said.
Williams said the other man told him that he entered Hunter's vehicle and demanded Hunter "give it up." Hunter then punched him and the two men fought with Hunter getting the best of the other man, Williams said in his statement.
Williams said the other man told Williams that he shot Hunter in the chest during the fight.
The other man ran from the shooting scene, leaving behind the bike and peeling off the coat and hat as he ran. He got rid of the coat because it had blood on it, he told Williams
"I have told detectives that I am responsible for making the phone calls to Tavon Hunter to get him to bring the marijuana to State Street," Williams said in his statement to police.
In his arraignment, Williams was quiet until the reading of the allegations against him. When the assistant district attorney read about the shooting, Williams wanted to know if he was being accused of actually shooting Hunter.
"The allegation is a co-defendant shot the victim in this case," a member of the district attorney's office said.
"You are accused of participating in the robbery and killing. You can talk about the facts of the case with your attorney," Uplinger said.
A not-guilty plea was entered on Williams' behalf and Williams was ordered held on no bail. Lawyer Patricia Campbell was assigned to represent Williams. His next court date will be on Nov. 1.
During the arraignment, a woman sitting on a bench filled with supporters of Williams became emotional and had to be taken by family members from the courtroom.
A member of Williams' family declined to talk with a reporter.
Hunter was taken to Upstate University Hospital from the parking lot and was pronounced dead at 6:25 p.m. after undergoing emergency surgery.
NewsHawk: MedicalNeed:420 MAGAZINE
Source:syracuse.com
Author: Robert A. Baker
Contact: Contact Us at syracuse.com: CNY's Leading News, Information and Community Web Site with The Post-Standard
Copyright: 2010 Syracuse Online LLC
Website:Court papers: Murder was a robbery of a marijuana dealer that went wrong | syracuse.com
