Mom speaks up for homicide suspects
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
The mother of two brothers accused of killing a 17-year-old earlier this month during a street brawl said Thursday she knows of no feud her sons were involved in.
Idella Bell, mother of 17-year-old David Jenkins and 19-year-old Dejon Jenkins, said her sons have never been in trouble and do not get involved in gangs or feuds.
“They don’t do that,” Bell said.
Dejon Jenkins was indicted on direct presentment by a Mahoning County grand jury Thursday on charges of murder, aggravated riot and involuntary manslaughter in the Aug. 17 shooting death of Shawn Cortez of West Ravenwood Avenue.
David Jenkins faces murder charges in juvenile court.
Police and prosecutors say Cortez was killed in a fight between two groups that had been feuding for some time. They said the groups fought the night before, then made arrangements to meet at a home on Winona Avenue. When the first group got to the home, they were outnumbered and fled, but someone in the group began firing a gun as people in the house chased them.
Cortez was in the pursuing group and was shot and killed.
A municipal court complaint against Dejon Jenkins said he gave his brother a gun he used to shoot and kill Cortez. The scene is caught on two cellphone videos. Twelve other people have been indicted on charges ranging from involuntary manslaughter to aggravated riot in the death of Cortez.
Bell’s Manchester Avenue home caught fire early Aug. 20. Fire investigators ruled that blaze an arson. Bell said her older son would never put the younger one in danger.
“Dejon would never, never, never give his brother a gun,” Bell said.
On the weekend Cortez was killed, she said David and Dejon spent Friday and Saturday helping a family member move. When asked why they were on Winona Avenue on Sunday, Bell said she was not sure they were there.
She said about 3:30 a.m. Aug. 17, she and her two sons took another son to the Pittsburgh Airport for a 6:30 a.m. flight. When she and the two sons got home, they slept all day, she said. Because of that she said she is not sure where her boys were.
“I didn’t know if they were there,” Bell said.
Of the 12 others arrested, she said she only knows one person.
“I haven’t done nothing to anybody,” Bell added.
Bell also said she has yet to speak to her sons or police. She said she was surprised when they were arrested.
“I am still in shock,” Bell said.