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Today's Featured Biography

Courtney HARDEN-PULLIAM

7/12/2014

http://www.erietvnews.com/story/25999578/courtney-harden-pulliam-had-message-of-peace-in-high-school

Courtney Harden-Pulliam pleaded guilty plea today for third degree murder and aggravated assault. Harden-Pulliam pleaded guilty to entering the East Erie Turners on January 5, and opening fire. Rashid Anderson died after being shot in the chest. Three others were injured. Harden-Pulliam was a basketball star at Strong Vincent High School, where he graduated in 2010. At one point during his senior year, he was an advocate of peace during a turbulent time in the city.

Harden-Pulliam faces decades in jail for third degree murder and aggravated assault. He will be sentenced on July 31.

Courtney Harden to Serve 10-20 Years Behind Bars

July 31, 2014- Courtney Harden, 21, was charged after investigators said he shot and killed Rashid Anderson, 26, and injured three others at a private party in the former East Erie Turners Club back in January. As part of his plea bargain Harden was charged with third degree murder and aggravated assault. He will serve 10 to 20 years in prison. While in the courtroom Harden apologized to the victim’s family and took full responsibility for his actions. More than 40 friends and family members of the victim and defendant were in the courtroom for the sentencing. The victim’s mother spoke in the courtroom today saying she's tired of what's going on and hopes the violence will stop. The victim’s sister addressed Harden in court saying her family will not hold a grudge. Minutes after the sentencing ended emotions were high and an altercation broke out outside of the courthouse. The Erie County Sheriff’s department and City of Erie Police quickly stopped the fight. The victim’s mother was visibly upset about the fight and the continuing violence.

Shooter pleads guilty in slaying at former East Erie Turners
July 12, 2014
IIf he had gone to trial for a fatal shooting at the former East Erie Turners in January, 22-year-old Courtney Harden-Pullium would have risked a conviction for first-degree murder and an automatic life sentence.

Harden-Pullium sidestepped that risk on Friday. And the Erie County District Attorney's Office sidestepped the risk of an acquittal.

Harden-Pullium pleaded guilty to third-degree murder in a deal that calls for the District Attorney's Office to recommend a sentence of 10 to 20 years, or half of the possible maximum sentence of 20 to 40 years for third-degree murder.

"We didn't want to see him walk away," said Assistant District Attorney Erin Connelly, one of the two prosecutors on the case. "We were pretty confident we could convict him, but you never know. This seemed like a fair resolution."

Erie County President Judge Ernest J. DiSantis Jr. accepted the plea and set sentencing for July 31. Harden-Pullium, also known as Courtney Harden, was scheduled to go to trial on Monday in DiSantis' courtroom.

Connelly said she had been prepared to seek a conviction for first-degree murder, or a premeditated killing, for the Jan. 5 slaying, which witnesses said grew out of a fight between two girls at another location on New Year's Eve. Harden-Pullium's lawyers never publicly stated what the defense would be, and one of his lawyers, Mark T. Del Duca, of Virginia Beach, Va., declined to comment on that aspect of the case on Friday.

But he said the plea deal took into account the strengths and weaknesses of the case for both the defense and prosecution. The guilty plea to third-degree murder, an unpremeditated killing with malice, is "an appropriate resolution for all involved," said Del Duca, who is representing Harden-Pullium with Erie lawyer Andrew Sissinni.

Erie police accused Harden-Pullium of fatally shooting 26-year-old Rashid Anderson and injuring three other people early Jan. 5 at the former East Erie Turners building, 829 Parade St., during a private party that more than 100 people attended.

Anderson and Harden-Pullium knew each other. Both had played basketball at Strong Vincent High School for coach Shannon Pullium, Harden-Pullium's father.

Anderson's family agreed to the plea deal, said Connelly, who is prosecuting the case with First Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Hirz. Connelly said the sentencing recommendation of 10 to 20 years -- which is up to DiSantis to accept -- considered that Harden-Pullium has no prior record.

Harden-Pullium also pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated assault, a first-degree felony that carries a maximum sentence of 10 to 20 years.

Connelly said the prosecution also agreed to recommend that Harden-Pullium serve whatever sentence he receives for aggravated assault at the same time he serves the sentence for third-degree murder.

Also as part of the plea deal, the prosecution dropped three other counts of aggravated assault; five counts of recklessly endangering another person, a first-degree misdemeanor; and one count each of carrying a firearm without a license, a third-degree felony, and possessing an instrument of crime, a first-degree misdemeanor.

The four original aggravated assault counts applied to the fatal injuries to Anderson as well as injuries to the three other victims: Julia DeSoto, Takiema Lyons-Glover and Daquan Henderson, Anderson's brother. The one aggravated assault to which Harden-Pullium pleaded guilty covers the injuries to DeSoto, Lyons-Glover and Henderson, according to court records.

The District Attorney's Office has faced problems with reluctant witnesses in other high-profile prosecutions. That was not an issue in the case against Harden-Pullium. Connelly said Henderson and another of his brothers, who was also present at the party, were ready to testify they either saw Harden-Pullium with a gun or saw him shooting.

The plea deal, Connelly said, nonetheless removes the uncertainty of what could happen at a jury trial. "We felt it is a good result for what we had on both sides," she said.

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