DA to seek death penalty in Plymouth shooting
Student from Prep one of three killed
The Luzerne County district attorney's office filed notice Monday of its intent to seek the death penalty against 18-year-old Shawn James Hamilton, the accused shooter in a July triple homicide in Plymouth.
Mr. Hamilton and his 16-year-old brother, Sawud Davis, both of Philadelphia, face charges of criminal homicide and robbery for the deaths of Bradley James Swartwood, 21, and Nicolas Robert Maldonado, 17, both of 401 First St., Plymouth, and Lisa Abaunza, a 15-year-old Scranton Prep student from Duryea.
Police said the three died and another was wounded during a botched drug deal. They face an attempted murder charge for shooting Danny Maldonado, 19, in the head, torso and forearm. He claimed the brothers tried to rob them after the group smoked marijuana inside the apartment.
The district attorney's office wants to try Mr. Davis as an adult but defense attorneys want to try him as a juvenile. A hearing for Mr. Davis is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 11, at 10:30 a.m. in Luzerne County Courthouse.
Prosecutors said they believe Mr. Hamilton killed the three people while in the midst of a robbery. If he is convicted of first-degree murder with regard to any of the three victims, prosecutors intend to present testimony from the victims' families and friends during the sentencing phase.
Allyson Kacmarski, defense attorney for Mr. Hamilton with attorney Robert Buttner, said Monday she thinks seeking the death penalty will take "a lot of time and a lot of money in order to prosecute."
Contact the writer: dallabaugh@citizensvoice.com