YOUNGSTOWN TRIAL Young girl expected to testify on killing

The little girl identified Anderson by name and picked his picture out of a lineup.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Anthony Anderson's attorneys say he was not involved in what prosecutors called the "senseless slaughter" of a 21-year-old pregnant woman and her children in November 1998.
But one of the victims, a little girl who was shot in the face, neck and left hand, said otherwise and is expected to tell her story to jurors this week during Anderson's trial in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.
Anderson, 24, of Kenneth Street, is charged with three counts of aggravated murder, for which he could be sentenced to death if convicted. He also is charged with single counts of attempted aggravated murder and aggravated robbery.
Anderson is accused of killing 21-year-old LaShawnda Aziz during a robbery at her house on Lansdowne Boulevard. Aziz's 4-year-old son, DeShun Moreland, was also shot and killed and her fetus also died.
Identified accused: Her daughter, Brea Aziz, who was 3 at the time, was shot but survived. At least twice within four days after the shooting, she told authorities and a social worker at Children's Hospital Medical Center of Akron that Anderson was the shooter.
Defense lawyers James Gentile and Louis DeFabio asked that the girl's statements not be allowed as evidence during the trial, but Judge R. Scott Krichbaum ruled they are admissible. The trial began Monday.
Court documents say that while in the hospital, Brea identified Anderson by name as the shooter and picked him from a photograph array three out of three times.
She also identified a second suspect, Kevin Calwise, who was at the house with Anderson. Calwise was convicted on identical charges in March 2000 and is serving three consecutive life sentences. He also is on the list of prospective prosecution witnesses during Anderson's trial.
Prosecutors said Brea knew Anderson because he was close friends with Wadell Casey, who was Aziz's live-in boyfriend.
Scene of crime: The court documents say Brea and DeShun were in the living room and Aziz was getting ready to fix them something to eat when Anderson and Calwise came into the house. Casey was not home at the time. Anderson repeatedly demanded that Aziz show him where Casey kept his guns.
Brea's statement says she saw Anderson shoot her mother and brother, and that he then shot her. Casey came home shortly afterward and found her.
Officer Ron Barber of the Youngstown Police Department testified that he and his partner were the first to arrive at the scene, where Casey was found outside, crying hysterically.
DeShun was found dead on a couch in the living room, and Aziz was found dead in a bedroom, Barber said.
Anderson also was there, shouting obscenities at police from a large crowd that had gathered outside the house, Barber said. He said Anderson then made his way to Casey and tried to console him.
Defense request denied: Before the beginning of testimony, Judge Krichbaum denied a defense request to disqualify the prosecutor's office from being involved in the case. The defense lawyers said prosecutors failed to provide them with pretrial information about tests done on bullets found at the scene.
Judge Krichbaum ruled that the defense knew about the information as early as March and should have raised its concerns before the trial started.
bjackson@vindy.com