Pocono News Section

Tight Security in Scranton for Gang Murder Hearing

Tight Security in Scranton for Gang Murder Hearing - Friday, September 18, 2009 at 4:24PM EST

Reported by: Eric Deabill
Friday, Sep 18, 2009 @ 04:24pm EDT
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY - Tight security filled the Lackawanna County courthouse as suspects in a gang murder were scheduled to go before a judge in Scranton Friday morning. Officers were armed with guns and even a SWAT Truck were on duty Friday morning.

All of the security precautions were put in place for the preliminary hearings for Tonie Future and Cristian Kenyon. They're both charged in connection with a gang murder in late July.

In court, both suspects waived their right to a preliminary hearing. That means they will both face future court action.

The waiver took only minutes but security was intense. Extra officers were called in. Prosecutors say the case has gang ties but would not say if there were any specific threats made.

"I can't comment on whether or not there were or weren't any, suficed to say, the nature of the case as well as the associations was sufficient enough to increase the level of security in the courthouse," assisant district attorney Gene Talerico said.

Watson Cramer saw all of the deputies armed with guns. He originally thought it was a security breach but didn't mind the extra show of force.

"It all depends on what their intelligence says. They may have gotten intelligence that said there was going to be a gang retailiation or something," Cramer said.

By 10:30 AM, when the hearings were supposed to take place, all of the added security measures were gone. Streets which had been temporarily blocked off had also been reopened.

Family of the victim, Allen Fernandez, showed up to the court hearing. They've lost a son and friend to what prosecutors are calling an "ordered hit" by the Bloods. Fernandez was shot 12 times and then dumped on a rural road in Ransom Township in late July.

"The best evidence of the intent of the perpetrators is to look at the body. When you look at the body of Mr. Fernandez, it's clear what the intention of those who shot him was," Talerico said.

The third suspect in the murder is Jeffery Future. He waived his right to a hearing on Thursday morning.

Prosecutors have not yet indicated if they plan to seek the death penalty in this case.