WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) - A Delaware judge is being urged to deny an appeal from one of two gang members convicted in a soccer tournament shooting in Wilmington that left three people dead.
A court commissioner on Tuesday rejected Otis Phillips’ argument of ineffective counsel. Phillips said his lawyer should have requested a mistrial after a juror complained she did not want to participate in deliberations and drew the ire of other jurors.
Phillips was convicted of murder in the 2012 killing of tournament organizer Herman Curry and manslaughter in the death of 16-year-old player Alexander Kamara. A cousin of Phillips died after being hit by spectators’ return gunfire.
Prosecutors say Phillips wanted to avenge a friend’s death and to silence Curry, who witnessed a 2008 killing for which Phillips was also convicted.
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