Pubdate: Sat, 13 Jan 2001
Source: Press Democrat, The (CA)
Copyright: 2001 The Press Democrat
Contact:  Letters Editor, P. O. Box 569, Santa Rosa CA 95402
Fax: (707) 521-5305
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Author: Gina Cappello, Associated Press Writer

CRACK HOUSE SLAY SUSPECTS CHARGED

PHILADELPHIA - Two men were charged Friday with killing seven people in a 
drug house last month over what police called "nickel-and-dime drug 
dealing." Two others were charged with weapons and drug offenses.

The massacre, the city's worst shooting in decades, stemmed from one group 
of dealers undercutting the other's prices, police Capt. James Brady said.

"For literally a couple bucks, these individuals were slaughtered," he 
said. "We're not talking hundreds of thousands of dollars but pennies."

Jermel Lewis, 23, and Sacon Youk, 19, were charged with seven counts of 
homicide, attempted murder, aggravated assault and simple assault, 
recklessly endangering another person and robbery.

It could not immediately be determined whether Youk and Lewis had 
attorneys. Youk's mother, Meejain, said her son was innocent.

"If my son was in trouble, he would have come to me," she said, standing 
outside the police station. "I can't believe he was implicated in this."

Samira McCoy, a sister of Lewis, said he sells cocaine but isn't a killer.

"I feel like they're trying to pin anything on anybody," she said.

The two other men were charged with drug and weapons offenses. Police would 
not elaborate on the charges or identify the suspects.

Four masked men entered the house Dec. 28, forced the 10 people inside to 
line up on the floor and sprayed them with bullets from at least three 
different automatic weapons, police said. Seven people died, and three were 
injured.

Neighbors described the house as a crack house; one of the wounded said she 
rented a room in the ramshackle home for $30 a week.

The shooting prompted neighbors to call on the city to tear down abandoned 
rowhouses that often become popular spots for drug users.

Shanel Harris, whose 15-year-old brother was among those killed, said one 
of the suspects charged with drug and weapons offenses attended her 
brother's funeral.

"The day of our brother's funeral, he comes over hugging and comforting 
us," Harris said. "All along one of the guys that did this to my brother 
was in our face."
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