Da'Ron Cox Legal Defense Fund
Seeking Justice for an Innocent Man
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Man convicted in '97 murder is innocent,
witness testifies
Friday, December 07, 2007
By Gabrielle Banks, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Ten years after he witnessed a fatal shooting in a Homewood alley, an associate of
the victim testified yesterday that the man serving a life sentence for murder was not
the killer.
Dewayne Jackson took the stand yesterday in a post-conviction hearing for Da'Ron
Cox, 29, who is requesting a new trial. In 1997, a jury convicted Mr. Cox, then 19, of
first-degree murder and a gun violation in the death of Brian "Little B" Roberts.
Mr. Jackson and Mr. Cox knew each other remotely from growing up in the same
neighborhood. They came into contact again when they were placed on the same
cellblock at the State Correctional Institution Huntingdon, where Mr. Jackson is
serving a sentence for homicide.
Mr. Cox testified yesterday that Mr. Jackson asked to speak with him in August 2006.
He told him he had information that could help his case. "He told me, 'I know you
didn't kill Little B,'" Mr. Cox told Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey A. Manning.
An additional twist for Judge Manning to untangle is that the man Mr. Jackson says
pulled the trigger, Roland Cephas, was killed in June 1997. Another witness who Mr.
Jackson placed at the scene, Raisheai D. Smith, was killed in March 1999.
Defense lawyer Michael Healey asked Mr. Jackson why he came forward after all
these years, especially if Mr. Cox was never his friend.
"Back then it was dangerous to come forward and tell police about homicides," he
said. Later, at the prison, he testified, "I kept seeing him and I knew he didn't know
what was going on. I just wanted to tell the truth."
Judge Manning denied a previous request by Mr. Cox for a new trial. In the earlier
petition, the defense argued that the judge erred in admitting a confession Mr. Cox
gave to police because, counsel said, the statement was involutary.
The judge is expected to rule on the petition for a new trial in January or February.
Gabrielle Banks can be reached at gbanks@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1370.
First published on December 7, 2007 at 12:02 am
witness testifies
Friday, December 07, 2007
By Gabrielle Banks, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Ten years after he witnessed a fatal shooting in a Homewood alley, an associate of
the victim testified yesterday that the man serving a life sentence for murder was not
the killer.
Dewayne Jackson took the stand yesterday in a post-conviction hearing for Da'Ron
Cox, 29, who is requesting a new trial. In 1997, a jury convicted Mr. Cox, then 19, of
first-degree murder and a gun violation in the death of Brian "Little B" Roberts.
Mr. Jackson and Mr. Cox knew each other remotely from growing up in the same
neighborhood. They came into contact again when they were placed on the same
cellblock at the State Correctional Institution Huntingdon, where Mr. Jackson is
serving a sentence for homicide.
Mr. Cox testified yesterday that Mr. Jackson asked to speak with him in August 2006.
He told him he had information that could help his case. "He told me, 'I know you
didn't kill Little B,'" Mr. Cox told Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey A. Manning.
An additional twist for Judge Manning to untangle is that the man Mr. Jackson says
pulled the trigger, Roland Cephas, was killed in June 1997. Another witness who Mr.
Jackson placed at the scene, Raisheai D. Smith, was killed in March 1999.
Defense lawyer Michael Healey asked Mr. Jackson why he came forward after all
these years, especially if Mr. Cox was never his friend.
"Back then it was dangerous to come forward and tell police about homicides," he
said. Later, at the prison, he testified, "I kept seeing him and I knew he didn't know
what was going on. I just wanted to tell the truth."
Judge Manning denied a previous request by Mr. Cox for a new trial. In the earlier
petition, the defense argued that the judge erred in admitting a confession Mr. Cox
gave to police because, counsel said, the statement was involutary.
The judge is expected to rule on the petition for a new trial in January or February.
Gabrielle Banks can be reached at gbanks@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1370.
First published on December 7, 2007 at 12:02 am
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DCLDF ~ P.O. Box 61292, King of Prussia, PA 19406 ~ 610-354-0863
