Latest news with #McKoy
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Yahoo
He Killed a Reggae Star's Daughter Feet Away from Her Child. Then Came the Judge's Haunting Words
Brianna McKoy and Derrick Francis were arguing when he fatally shot her in 2023, authorities said McKoy, 23, was the mother of Francis' son Zander, who was 18 months old when his mother was killed A national manhunt was launched for Francis after he fled the sceneA New York man convicted of killing the mother of his son in front of their child when he was just 18 months old has learned his fate. On Thursday, June 5, Derrick Francis, 43, was sentenced to 55 years in prison for the murder of Brianna McKoy, 23, in Bridgeport, Conn., on April 6, 2023, online court records show. On April 25, a three-judge panel of the Connecticut Superior Court convicted Francis of the shooting death of McKoy in the apartment they shared in the city's North End, said Joseph Corradino, the State's Attorney for the Judicial District of Bridgeport, in a release. 'In coming to their verdict, the judges found that Francis had failed to prove his affirmative defense of extreme emotional disturbance,' the State's Attorney said in the release. McKoy was the daughter of Jamaican reggae star Ricky Trooper, who has written about his daughter's murder on Instagram. 'Hate the 6th of April,' he wrote on April 5. 'That day the fassy took my baby away from us.2 years now and the pain only get worst (sic).' McKoy's family has been seeking justice for her since the fatal shooting. "Today we finally got that justice and it's been a long time coming," her mother, Camille Hemmings, told News 12. On the day McKoy was killed, she and Francis were arguing at their apartment when he shot her four times with a 9mm semiautomatic handgun, police said, News 12 reports. During closing arguments in Francis's trial, defense attorney Gerald Klein said Francis had "reached a breaking point" during his relationship with McKoy and called the homicide "a crime of passion,' the CT Post argued that Francis had initially said in one of his police interviews that he had to wrest the gun from McKoy, the CT Post reports. Later on, Francis said he found the gun in a drawer while looking for money he thought McKoy had allegedly taken, Corradino argued, according to the CT Post. Their son Zander was only 'a few feet away" when Francis fired the gun at McKoy, police said, according to News 12. "Baby Zander has not spoken a single word since that day,' Hemmings told News 12. 'He goes to therapy on a regular basis now to restore his speech." After the shooting, Francis fled the scene, setting off a national manhunt, according to the State's Attorney. Francis fled to Ohio, but was apprehended two days later when officers stopped a car he was riding in because they had an arrest warrant for the driver, the State's Attorney said. Francis ran from the officers during the traffic stop, but was captured after a short chase. Ohio officers recovered a gun under the vehicle's passenger seat that the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory determined was consistent with having fired the cartridge cases recovered from the crime scene, according to the State's Attorney. In a GoFundMe set up for Zander, the organizer wrote, "Camille Prince's daughter lost her life due to domestic violence." Hemmings told News 12 nothing can take away the pain of losing her daughter, but she is glad that her killer will serve out the next five decades behind bars. "He finally got what he deserved — 55 years. He will hopefully die in prison a lonely and miserable death," Hemmings told News 12. If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
On anniversary of MLK's assassination, groups rally in Durham's Hayti against rezoning
Fifty-seven years after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., dozens of people gathered in the pews of a Durham church he once visited to oppose a proposed rezoning in a historic Black neighborhood. On Friday evening, more than 100 people rallied at St. Mark AME Zion Church, 531 S. Roxboro St., to protest a redevelopment plan that would replace Heritage Square, an aging commercial center in Durham's Hayti neighborhood, with a new mixed-use project. Sterling Bay, a Chicago-based developer, purchased the now-vacant and fenced 10-acre site for $62.5 million three years ago. The company plans to invest $500 million over the next decade to build the project in phases, which would include lab space, offices, housing, retail and public open areas. According to documents submitted to the Durham Planning Commission, phase one of the project includes: A 13-story residential tower with 325 units An 11-story building with 290,000 square feet of lab and office space Over 17,000 square feet of retail space A gathering plaza The proposed development at 401 E. Lakewood Avenue sits just steps from St. Mark AME Zion Church and the Durham Freeway, which cuts through the heart of the historic Hayti neighborhood. As part of the project, Sterling Bay is also seeking to rename Heritage Square to Carolina Research Square. To acknowledge the legacy of the once-thriving Hayti community — known for its concentration of Black-owned homes and businesses — Sterling Bay has proposed installing a marker. 'That word, 'heritage,' means something,' said Henry McKoy, the director for the Hayti Reborn advocacy group, at the rally. 'The word heritage has weight. Heritage Square was the embodiment of collective dreams.' Opponents of the rezoning say the project reflects a familiar pattern of development in Durham, one that, in the 1960s, led to the destruction of thousands of Black homes and businesses to make way for the Durham Freeway. Heritage Square was built in 1985 with funding from private real estate firms, loans, investors, Black churches and community groups. Despite its promising start, the project struggled financially and eventually fell into disrepair. For years, promises have been made to revitalize Hayti, but those commitments have been largely abandoned. 'To be clear, the community is not against development,' McKoy said. '(Sterling Bay) legally purchased the site, so they have a legal right to develop on it. The community's against being erased, overshadowed, and given a check that's going to bounce.' A public hearing is scheduled for the Planning Commission's meeting at 5:30 p.m., April 8. The commission may recommend approval of the rezoning, which will later head to the Durham City Council. If the rezoning is approved and construction begins for the future development, more residents could be displaced, according to McKoy. In a document, Hayti Reborn summarizes their opposition to the rezoning: The development would drive up property values and taxes, pricing out existing residents and Black-owned businesses. Sterling Bay has not committed to including affordable housing. The proposed development has no wealth-building tactics for the Hayti community. Taller, denser buildings would serve high-income residents and businesses rather than the community. 'Just because the community grows doesn't mean that folks who have called this community home have to be displaced or they have to leave,' McKoy said in a phone interview. 'There's a need and desire to create economic opportunity, jobs and generational wealth.' Julian Pridgen, the pastor of St. Mark, said there is concern that the church will be impacted by the construction and stormwater runoff. 'The structure is old and it's fragile. We already have some flooding in the basement from rainwater runoff because we sit at the bottom of a hill,' Pridgen said in a phone interview. Old pipes under the church have also been problematic, leading to soil erosion and a sink hole in the parking lot one year. In early conversations with Sterling Bay, Pridgen said, the developers 'weren't interested' in any community needs or efforts to restore what Hayti lost. 'We're hoping to welcome a neighbor who's interested in this local community,' Pridgen said. In a statement from Sterling Bay, a spokesperson said the company welcomes further conversation and has been incorporating 'specific feedback from the Hayti community, including references to historic Hayti, publicly accessible gathering spaces, food and beverage offerings, job opportunities and affordable retail space.' 'Our commitment to a mixed-use life sciences research hub with residential and retail opportunities remains, as does our goal of creating economic opportunity for Durham area residents,' the statement read. At the rally, seven people, including former state Rep. Mickey Michaux and former state Sen. Floyd McKissick Jr., spoke to inform residents about the rezoning and what they could do to share their concerns. McKissick, a Durham native, said part of Hayti's history has been 'forgotten.' The community was built in 1869 by formerly enslaved people and named after the country Haiti, the first independent Black republic. The district was formed around Pettigrew and Fayetteville streets. The Hayti Heritage Center, formed in 1975 in the original St. Joseph's AME Church, has worked to preserve the heritage of the community through events, activities and programs. Much of Hayti, the Fayetteville Street corridor and surrounding areas are still mostly occupied by Black residents. 'It's up to us to protect that legacy,' McKissick said. 'It's up to us to pass on to the next generation to motivate them to mobilize; to (let them know) what's going on with redevelopment efforts right in this very community that can impact their lives.' Terrence White, the vice chair for the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, said residents must 'protect our neighborhoods from the aggressive takeover of land and development.' '(We're) ensuring that no rezoning efforts move forward if they are detrimental to the needs of the community,' he said. According to Hayti Reborn, opponents want several key outcomes from Sterling Bay for Heritage Square: Respect current zoning height restrictions. Mitigate traffic congestion. Include commercial and retail spaces that support Black-owned businesses, include affordable housing, allow 50% equity for the community, and allow Hayti stakeholders to serve as co-developers. Sterling Bay must withdraw its rezoning request before April 8 to further work with the community. 'People want to hold up the history of Hayti in a proud way,' McKoy said. Heritage Square Rezoning Demands by Kristen Johnson on Scribd
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Yahoo
Decorated veteran joins cause of Fayetteville man seeking to clear name
In 2023, Retired Army Maj. Willie Merkerson Jr. earned the Distinguished Service Cross for his valor in Vietnam. His children have been among those who have campaigned for the distinction to be upgraded to the Medal of Honor. Merkerson, who lives in Fayetteville, says he only did his mission and was not seeking medals. But he believes in justice. He has thrown his support behind another Fayetteville man, Lamont McKoy, convicted of a murder 35 years ago that evidence strongly suggests he did not commit. Merkerson says McKoy, who was paroled in 2017 but is still seeking to clear his name, deserves the benefit of another look at the case 'to ensure justice is done.' 'What's to be lost?' he asks. 'The least they can do is give it another look to see if there's something that needs to be reinvestigated.' Veterans' involvement in the case of McKoy has been sought and facilitated by McKoy's cousin, Lamont Saxon, a veteran of the 82nd Airborne who lives in the Washington, D.C. area. Saxon has been back and forth for decades between Maryland and Fayetteville to help clear the name of McKoy, with whom he grew up and considers to be like a brother. McKoy's late father was a veteran of the Vietnam War who the family believes may have died from complications related to Agent Orange. Saxon is frank in saying he hopes that this connection helps humanize McKoy for the judge who is handling the most current phase of McKoy's case. Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Jim Ammons' father served as a Marine, Saxon says. McKoy and his legal team with Duke Law's Wrongful Convictions Clinic are scheduled to appear before Ammons in Courtroom 4A Thursday morning. McKoy is seeking a motion for appropriate relief, often shortened to MAR, to show he is innocent in the murder, an assertion that is supported by evidence presented at a federal trial. His lawyers want Ammons to remove himself because the judge ruled against McKoy in a previous MAR. Ammons is the one to determine if his own recusal is warranted. At a hearing in January, McKoy and Saxon felt the judge was dismissive of McKoy in how he talked to him. Opinion Pitts: 'A raw deal': Decades later, a Fayetteville man still fights to clear his name Saxon says: 'My purpose for highlighting that Lamont's father was a Vietnam veteran is because Ammons acted as if he was a thug with no family.' Ammons said on Wednesday he could not comment on McKoy and Saxon's impression of his court demeanor. Nor did he think it was appropriate to hear additional biographical details about McKoy and his family before hearing the case. While he did not think it appropriate either to discuss McKoy's specific MAR request, he said that senior resident judges receive many such requests. 'For years and years, I'm aware of senior residents who have handled multiple MARs, which there's no problem with that, in general,' he said. 'Some defendants file a half-dozen or more.' Ammons is not above recusing himself in cases when he believes the situation demands it. He is also not above taking umbrage when lawyers formally ask him to remove himself. In 2016, the judge removed himself from a case of four defendants who had been convicted of murder and were seeking to have their death penalty convictions commuted to life in prison under the Racial Justice Act. Under the act, which has since been overturned by the state legislature, defendants could get their sentences commuted if they could show evidence of racial bias in their trials. Ammons denied the defendants' lawyers recusal request, his voice rising at times 'in apparent anger,' according to a Fayetteville Observer account at the time. 'I have sworn to administer judgment without favoritism to anyone or to the state,' he said. 'I will not violate those oaths for anyone or anything.' Moments later, he made the decision to step aside — but not without a lecture to the defense lawyers who he said spent 'enormous time, effort and expense … to the sole issue of replacing me with another judge.' McKoy was 17 when he was questioned by Fayetteville police officers in the death of Myron Hailey, whose body was found in his car not far from where the N.C. State Veterans Park is located downtown today. McKoy had sold drugs and was familiar to police; he has said his smart-aleck responses to questions is what led police to claim he confessed — but no such confession was introduced at trial. Over the years, he turned down plea agreements that would have gotten him out of prison earlier. Meanwhile, federal authorities identified another man as Hailey's shooter in an unrelated federal trial over a drug conspiracy. McKoy has said the role played in his case by now-deceased police officer Robert Parker has never been explored in court. In 1995, Parker was sentenced to six months in jail for telling drug dealers he'd get them out of trouble if they paid him. McKoy believes that kind of record should have further raised questions in his own case. McKoy says Parker was the investigator who found a witness that gave questionable testimony against McKoy. 'He went rogue,' McKoy said of Parker. 'It's kind of funny that when I went to the trial — he never was present during the court proceedings.' McKoy said he is grateful for the support of veterans like Merkerson and for the continued support of his family. For Merkerson, the situation is cut and dried. 'We're human and oftentimes, humans make mistakes,' he said of the original investigation. 'And a man who served that much time honestly and faithfully deserves another chance.' Opinion Editor Myron B. Pitts can be reached at mpitts@ This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Fayetteville man trying to clear name gets major veteran backer | Opinion
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Metro sees highest ridership since COVID-19 as return-to-work orders begin
WASHINGTON () — Metro is seeing the highest ridership this week since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, largely due to return-to-work orders for federal workers. This week, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) said Metro had its busiest Monday since March 2020 with 430,000 rail trips. 'I would say Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday is … overly packed,' said Chamira McKoy. Federal workers navigate traffic, parking as thousands return to work in-person Tuesday saw the highest morning rush hour in five years with 170,000 rail trips before 9:30 a.m. 'Doesn't matter what time. I'm normally catching the train between anywhere between 7:30 and 9:30, and it's extremely crowded. It's like no room. You have to wait for the next train,' McKoy said. Not everyone has had the same experience, with some noting little difference in this week's commute. 'I've seen not a whole lot of difference, to be honest with you,' said Melanie Renzulli. But, he said, there is a big demand for more frequency. 'I really wish they would add more trains, more lines,' Renzulli said. New WMATA board documents show that could come this summer. Metro is proposing peak capacity, with targeted super peak capacity increases on the red and silver lines. Stretch Your Dollar: Fairfax County is offering free tax filing assistance to eligible individuals, families 'I would love to see it. I don't like running every morning and then having to miss the train, basically, because it's just too crowded. It's too much,' McKoy said. Metro also wants to extend half of the Yellow Line trains to Greenbelt and split Silver Line service between Downtown Largo and New Carrolton. Metro has revised and increased its revenue estimates for the next two fiscal years, which start in July. They're expecting ridership to increase by 13 million for fiscal year 202, which means more financial stability for the system. 'Makes me feel good. Make me feel more inclined to use the metro as much as I can,' said Steve Kohl. Metro's board meets Thursday to discuss the proposed budget. From there, public hearings will be scheduled to gather feedback. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Yahoo
Family of missing Douglas County man targeted in $10K extortion scheme
The Brief Chris McKoy, a rideshare driver from Douglas County, has been missing since Jan. 7. His family says they've been extorted for $10,000 by someone claiming to have information about him. The extortion attempt was made using the phone number listed on the missing person flyer, with the caller warning that McKoy's father didn't know what his son was involved in. Bernard McKoy, Chris's father, provided the Douglas County Sheriff's Department with text messages from the extortionist, which were in both English and Spanish. The McKoy family remains hopeful but acknowledges that the extortion attempt has added emotional strain and distraction to their search efforts. DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. - The family of a missing Douglas County man says it has been extorted, and the incident is under investigation by authorities. What we know Chris McKoy has been missing for three weeks. His father believes someone used the telephone number on the missing person flyer to contact him with a demand for $10,000 for information about his son. What they're saying "He ( the caller) said, 'You don't know what your son is into. If you want to see your son again,' he wants $10,000," Bernard McKoy said. "I don't have $10,000." McKoy shared the series of text messages he has received, which were in a mix of English and Spanish, to the Douglas County Sheriff's Department. "It's just crazy how some of these people trying to prey on other people's grief," exclaimed McKoy. The backstory After a reported accident in Gwinnett County, Chris McKoy, a rideshare driver, told his mother he couldn't pick up his son from school, and his ex-wife should instead. The 6-feet-2-inch tall and 175-pound man has not been seen since Jan. 7. McKoy's family found his missing car more than a week later near a Norcross elementary school. What's next The McKoy's are holding onto hope that their son will be found alive. However, they say incidents like this make it so much tougher. "You begin to doubt. These people just distract your focus, take away from your drive," lamented McKoy. "Let's find our son and bring him home." The Source FOX 5 Atlanta reporter Kevyn Stewart has been closely following the disappearance of Chris McKoy since mid-January. Stewart interviewed Chris' father, Bernard McKoy, for this article. McKoy showed Stewart copies of the threatening texts in Spanish that he has shared with the Gwinnett County police.
