Prosecutor: Teen shot Somali man during robbery

By Kelly Wheeler, City News Service

A 16-year-old gunman shot and killed a Somali man outside a City Heights taco shop when the victim refused to empty his pockets during an August 2003 robbery, a prosecutor said Monday, but a defense attorney said her now-23-year-old client wasn’t at the crime scene that night.

Shane Pilson is charged with murder in the Aug. 14, 2003, murder of 26-year-old Khadar Hassan.

Deputy District Attorney Dennis Panish told a jury in his opening statement that Hassan and two friends were waiting for food outside Taco Fiesta taco shop around 3 a.m. when two men — one white and one black — confronted the group and demanded money.

Hassan — who had been drinking — approached the two assailants with a beer bottle in his hand and was shot in the back of the head, Panish told the jury.

Police had no clues until Mildred Miller came forward and said her brother-in-law, Sherman Strong, told her he was going to pull a “lick,” or robbery, that night, the prosecutor said.

Panish said Strong — who is black — and Pilson — who is white — wore bandanas to cover their faces like cowboys and shot Hassan when he wouldn’t give them any money.

Miller was given immunity, but on the witness stand last year, she testified that everything she previously said about Strong and Pilson being part of the robbery and murder were lies, Panish said.

Pilson’s half-sister told police in October 2006 she was home the night of the murder and her brother told her he was going to “pull a lick,” according to the prosecutor.

She told police Strong said something had happened at the taco shop and warned her “don’t go down there,” Panish told the jury.

Pilson’s half-sister also told police she was jumped and stabbed by a group of Somalis three days before the murder, the prosecutor said.

Defense attorney Mary Knockeart, in her opening statement, said a cook who witnessed the murder said the gunman was right-handed, while Pilson is left-handed.

One of Hassan’s friends and the cook were unable to pick Pilson out of a photo lineup of possible suspects, the defense attorney said.

Knockeart said some of the witnesses who will testify for the prosecution are drug users, criminals and mentally ill people who have something to lose if they don’t cooperate.

Miller was under the influence of methamphetamine the night of the killing and believes something happened that didn’t, Knockeart said.

Pilson’s half-sister made up stories about Pilson confessing to her and about her being stabbed by a group of Somalis, the defense attorney said.

Knockeart said no witnesses will testify that Pilson was at the taco shop the night of the murder.

No physical evidence will be presented that ties Pilson to the crime, Knockeart told the jury.

Strong, now 31, is scheduled to go on trial in October.

Source: San Diego News Network