Utica Man Charged In Fatal Rome Fight
Not Guilty Plea From Brooklyn Man Charged With Murder
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By NICOLE ESTAPHAN
Story Created:
Mar 10, 2008 at 5:05 PM EDT
Story Updated:
Mar 11, 2008 at 10:53 AM EDT
ROME - Rome Police have made a second arrest in connection with a fatal fight in that city this past weekend. 28 year-old Jameen B. Kelly of Utica has been charged with second degree assault, a Class D felony, for his alleged role in the brawl that resulted in the fatal stabbing of two men outside a Rome restaurant early Saturday morning. Kelly is being held in the Rome city lockup.
On Monday, a not guilty plea was entered in Rome City Court on behalf of Joshua P. Diggs, age 20, of Brooklyn. Diggs has been charged with second-degree murder in relation to the death of Daniel Hernandez of Rome. Hernandez was one of two men found dead at the fight scene when police arrived Saturday morning. Judson T. Watkins of Syracuse is the other victim. No charges have been filed in connection with his death. Diggs was sent to the Oneida County Jail. He’ll return to Rome City Court on March 14th for a preliminary examination.
In court, it was initially believed that Diggs had requested his own lawyer. But after a brief recess, in which he met with the public defender, David Arthur, he came back confirming that Arthur would be representing him in this case.
Rome Police originally said that Diggs and Hernandez knew each other prior to the events that took place in the early morning hours on Saturday. But later, the police said, after further investigation there is no evidence that suggests there was a link between the two.
Besides the deceased, four other men were wounded in the fight. Two of those men have been released from local hospitals. The other two remain hospitalized. The identities of the wounded have not yet been released by law enforcement agencies.
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