Cordalro Strickland
A woman who was shot five times at the same time a gunman shot two others, including one who died, made a positive identification in court on Wednesday of Cordalro Strickland.
Mariah Stoudemire said she and other family and friends were on a porch on Arlington Avenue on July 3 when a muscular black male walked up and asked for "Brando". She said she hollered in the house for Melvin Brandon “Brando” Fennell.
She said Fennell was shot as he opened the door to come outside. She said, "He had not even opened the screen door."
Of the gunman, she said, "He didn't say anything. He just started shooting."
Charges were bound to the Grand Jury against Strickland for criminal homicide, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated assault and reckless endangerment.
Ms. Stoudemire said the gunman was below the porch near some bushes when he raised his handgun and fired repeatedly.
She said she ran down the porch steps and went as fast as she could down the street. She said she did not at first realize she had been shot, but she wound up sprawled in the street.
She found she had been shot in both arms as well as three times in the legs.
The witness said as she ran she could hear the gunman behind her. "I could hear his breathing," she said.
Also shot on the porch was 24-year-old Calvin Garner. He was wounded in the buttock.
Ms. Stoudemire said she eventually picked Strickland out of a lineup.
Detective Karl Fields said Ms. Stoudemire was first shown a 2002 photo of Strickland. He said she stated it looked something like the gunman, but she could not be sure.
He said he was reminded by his supervisor that Strickland had been interviewed recently on another case and was photographed then. He said when Ms. Stoudemire was shown that photo she quickly identified him as the gunman.
The detective said Strickland denied involvement in the shooting. He stated that he was home that evening and saw an account of the shooting on the 10 o'clock news. However, Detective Fields said the shooting did not occur until 10:21 p.m.
The gun that was used has not been recovered.
There were nine shell casings found at the scene. It was noted that the number of shots into the three individuals added up to nine.
Garner told police he did not know who shot him or why.
The defendant is represented by attorney Stuart Brown. Lila Statom was the prosecutor before Judge Clarence Shattuck.