Conviction expected in Sled case

Officials heading the investigation into the stabbing death of University biochemist Vladimir Sled said they can convict the three suspects of first-degree murder charges when the case goes to trial, which may be as early as September. University Police Detective Patricia Brennan, who has assisted Philadelphia homicide detectives since the Halloween night slaying, called the confessions by the suspects in Sled's murder "strong." And Assistant District Attorney Dick Carroll downplayed Tuesday's incident in which Sled's fiancee misidentified two of the suspects at a preliminary hearing. At the hearing, Philadelphia Homicide Detective Thomas Perks read a statement from suspect Yvette Stewart in which she admitted that the three smoked crack cocaine on their way to Billybob's restaurant before attacking Sled and his fiancee, Cecelia Hagerhall, on the 4300 block of Larchwood Avenue. Brennan said the other two statements -- which have not yet been made public -- contain similar information and implicate all three in the murder. "The gist of all three are the same," she said. "They corroborate what witnesses told us happened out there, and they corroborate one another." Carroll continued to maintain that Bridget Black -- who allegedly stabbed Sled five times during the robbery -- has not reached a plea bargain with the District Attorney's office, althouth a recent article in the Philadelphia Daily News reported that Black is willing to plead guilty at her February 6 arraignment in exchange for a life sentence. Citing a "good, strong case" and "good police work," Carroll said he intends to pursue the death penalty for Black, Stewart and Eugene "Sultan" Harrison. "We shouldn't have any problems with it," he said. "It's an eminently tryable case and I really don't see any defenses." Black, Harrison and Stewart were all originally scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Tuesday, at which the DA was to present simple evidence that a crime had been committed and that the suspects probably committed the crime, according to University Police Detective William Danks. But Black waived her hearing, indicating she is likely to plead guilty, Danks added. Carroll explained that a further complication was introduced after Hagerhall was asked if the male suspect was in the courtroom, she identified Harrison's lawyer, Tariq El-Shabazz, as the perpetrator, and also confused Black and Stewart. The actual suspect, Harrison, was not even in the room. As a result of that misidentification, El-Shabazz requested that Hagerhall identify Harrison in a police lineup. Municipal Court Judge Francis Cosgrove granted the attorney's request, and the lineup is scheduled for February 12, with Harrison's preliminary hearing set for the next day. "She was never intended to be an identification witness," Carroll said of Hagerhall. "We don't need her to identify the doers -- they identified themselves in their statements." Carroll and Danks projected a late summer or early fall 1997 start date for the trial. Fred Goodman and Dean Owens, Black's attorneys from the Philadelphia Public Defender's Office, refused to comment on the case or the reported plea bargain. The murder of Sled -- a well-liked and respected researcher -- along with the September shooting of College senior Patrick Leroy in a robbery attempt on 40th Street, shocked the University community, coming at the end of a rash of other crimes that prompted administrators to try to beef up security in the area west of campus.

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