The Montgomery County District Attorney's Office has announced charges against Niochie Lawson and Jakel Stone for Criminal Conspiracy to Commit Burglary and Robbery, Burglary, Robbery, and other related offenses.
The charges stem from an incident that occurred on Wednesday, June 9, 2010 when police say the victim, Jermaine Edwards, and two of his daughters, ages 11 and 9, arrived at their home, located in the 100 block of Hancock Road in North Wales, Upper Gwynedd Township.
On his way into the house, several black males exited a shed outside of the home and approached Edwards from behind. One of the men was armed, and forced Edwards and his daughters into the home.
Once inside, one of the men ordered Jermaine Edwards' wife, Jolene, to put the children to bed. As soon as Jolene and the children made it into an upstairs bedroom, Jermaine and the intruders got into a gun battle.
Edwards sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his chest and legs. One of the home invaders, later identified as Kieme Persons, died from gunshot wounds sustained during the exchange.
At least two of the other suspects also sustained gunshot wounds. They fled and sought medical aid at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, where they were admitted under false names. Investigators were able to identify these two as Niochie Lawson and Jakel Stone.
Lawson was arrested Friday June 25th in Montgomery County, Maryland, where he remains awaiting extradition.
Stone is currently incarcerated on unrelated charges in Philadelphia.
The District Attorney has decided not to press charges against Jermaine Edwards in the death of Kieme Persons, saying Edwards was "legally justified in the use of deadly force to thwart the home invasion attack and to protect his own life and the lives of his family."
The investigation is continuing.
