Judge in Sled murder trial rejects suspect's request for dismissal

Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Carolyn Temin yesterday denied defense attorney Lee Mandell's motion to throw out Yvette Stewart's indictment for her alleged role in the murder of Biochemistry researcher Vladimir Sled. Assistant District Attorney Dick Carroll -- the case's prosecutor -- questioned Mandell's assertion that Stewart was less involved in Sled's Halloween night robbery and murder than the other two suspects, Bridget Black and Eugene "Sultan" Harrison. Black allegedly stabbed Sled to death on the 4300 block of Larchwood Avenue as he was walking with his fiancee, University researcher Cecelia Hagerhall. After the crime, Black and Harrison allegedly fled to a getaway vehicle driven by Stewart. Carroll noted past discrepancies in Stewart's defense, and questioned the suspect's insistence that she did not fire a gun from the getaway car while she was the only person in it. "I'm not suggesting that the evidence is overwhelming," Carroll said, adding that "[Stewart] knew exactly what was going on since the very beginning." Mandell did not talk at length about Stewart's defense, stressing that he had nothing more to add to his arguments. But Mandell noted that the Commonweath did not even prove that Sled's death occurred. Carroll reminded Mandell that a doctor had in fact testified that the victim is dead. Black, Stewart and Harrison all pleaded not guilty at their arraignments earlier this year. But Carroll said it is rumored that Black may change her plea to guilty before the trial in hopes of receiving a lighter sentence. Harrison was caught after bank surveillance cameras photographed him trying to use Hagerhall's stolen money access center (MAC) card shortly after the murder. Harrison did not attend yesterday's conference. The suspect was arraigned separately and is being tried separately from Black and Stewart. Pretrial conferences usually serve as forums for lawyers to discuss evidence and disclose witnesses. But yesterday, Black's attorney Tariq El-Shabazz failed to show up for the pretrial conference to discuss the suspects defense. A source in the court room said El-Shabazz would not be available until May. Black's portion of the pretrial was subsequently rescheduled for May 22. El-Shabazz has failed to show up to court in the past, most recently for a lineup he requested for Harrison. The lineup then had to be rescheduled. But Carroll added that the case has been "straight-forward" and speculated that it would go to trial "in a few months."

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