Defendant's Versions Of Events Revealed In Penn Hills Teen Murder Case
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Testimony continued Friday in the case of a teen accused of killing another teen and setting her house on fire.
Police say Akeem Page-Jones killed 17-year-old Teesa Williams and set her Penn Hills home on fire when he was 16-years-old.
According to a county detective, Akeem Page-Jones told investigators that Teesa Williams was shot accidentally under her chin as he struggled with her over a gun he had in his possession when he visited her Penn Hills home. He then tried to burn her body and when he was unsuccessful doing that, he tried to set fire to the entire house.
It happened early one morning in 2011 as both were supposed to be preparing for school. Jones told investigators the girl was fascinated with the gun, but he tried to keep it away from her.
That, however, was the last of a number of versions the then- 16-year-old defendant gave police, according to today's testimony.
In one version, he told police another unknown male was in the house and fired the shot that killed the 17-year-old. Then, the unknown male fled the house.
Earlier, though, the defense tried to raise doubt about the alleged confession by pointing fingers at a prosecution witness who testified he gave Jones the gun that was used in the shooting.
Joseph King testified under a grant of immunity arranged on Thursday that he bought the gun illegally off the street and lent the gun to Jones, which was also illegal.
Defense attorney Giuseppe Rosselli was combative in his cross-examination of King, and showed the jury a picture of King posing with the .22-caliber weapon.
King maintained he had no idea the gun would be used in a crime.
Referring to the gun, Roselli asked: "At the time of her death you owned it?"
"Yes," replied King. "I gave Akeem the gun because it was jamming. Akeem said he would shoot it in the woods. He said he popped off a couple of shots and thought somebody might call the cops, so he told me he'd give it back later."
Roselli: "You now know giving a 16-year-old a handgun is a crime?"
King: "Yes."
Roselli: "But they've granted you immunity haven't they?"
King: "Yes."
Roselli: "You sold the gun the moment Akeem spoke to police. Didn't you?"
King: "I sold it because the gun was broke."
Roselli: "It wasn't because you used that gun to kill Teesa Williams?"
King: "No."
Testimony is expected to wrap up by the middle of next week.
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