Mistrial approved for 3 defendants in Alishah Pointer case
Hakeem-Ali Shomo (left), Anthony Bryant (right) and Brittany Smith (centre) are believed to have taken part in the brutal kidnapping, torture and murder of Alishah Pointer in November 2021. (Cuyahoga County Sheriff)
Alishah Pointer was 22 when she was kidnapped, tortured and shot dead in a “horrific” and ongoing act of violence in Ohio in 2021. On Monday, a Cleveland court declared a mistrial for three of the six defendants who brutally ended their lives.
Anthony Bryant, 19, Brittany Smith, 33, and Hakeem-Ali Shomo, 31, have been on trial since March 6 on charges of aggravated murder, kidnapping, conspiracy and criminal assault.
Her trial concluded early Monday, the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas said in a message sent to Law&Crime.
“Before the trial resumed this morning, there was a mistrial motion,” the court’s statement said. “Court officials had given the parties a procedural notice that was inadvertently given only to the prosecutors. As this could be considered ex parte communication, the court, out of prudence, allowed the mistrial and the judge withdrew from the case.”
In a statement to Shaker Heights-based CBS affiliate WOIO, Cuyahoga County prosecutors attributed the mistrial to a “communications error.” Shaker Heights is an affluent suburb located about 20 minutes east-southeast of Cleveland.
Judge John Russo oversaw the jury trial.
According to Cleveland-based Fox affiliate WJW, prosecutors expect the trial to resume in the next few days. The case has reportedly been transferred to Judge Janet Burnside.
Law&Crime reached out to the court and prosecutors for more details, but no immediate replies followed.
Three other people charged in connection with Pointer’s death have pleaded guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for testifying.
Nathaniel Poke Jr., 23, Portria Williams, 31, and Destiny Henderson, 18, are scheduled to testify against the co-defendants when their trial resumes. Poke and Henderson pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, kidnapping and conspiracy. Williams pleaded guilty to counts of murder, kidnapping and conspiracy.
The three witnesses are currently scheduled to be sentenced on March 27th. That date could be pushed back due to Monday’s court case.
The six people believed to share blame for Pointer’s death are said to have each stepped in and out of the broader crime at different times throughout the day on November 4, 2021.
Prosecutors allege that Henderson, Williams, Poke Jr. and Hakeem Ali Shomo kidnapped two women as part of a reprisal plan because they believed Pointer’s boyfriend Aminjas killed Shomo on November 2, 2021. The two abducted women were then allegedly forced to help the four find Pointers and lure them into their car. The first two kidnapping victims were then allowed to leave, police said.
After Pointer was caught, Poke left the residence, prosecutors claim. Smith and Bryant later arrived at the scene and did not take part in the initial kidnappings, authorities claim.
Shomo, Smith, and Bryant then reportedly beat and tortured Pointer for information about Aminja’s Shomo’s death.
Afterwards, the police believe, the accused Shomo left the apartment on his own. Henderson, Smith, Williams and Bryant then allegedly forced Pointer into a vehicle and drove her to the burned-out, since demolished Savannah Avenue home, where she spent her final horrifying moments.
Williams and Bryant are said to have fired the shots.
“There was a lot of opportunity for these people to reconsider what they were doing and for someone to make the right decision and stop this,” Cuyahoga County Attorney Michael O’Malley said when the charges were filed. “This went on for hours and this poor girl was tortured and abused. My thoughts and prayers are with her family and we will hold those who did this accountable.”
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https://lawandcrime.com/crime/mistrial-declared-for-3-alleged-to-have-taken-part-in-hourslong-kidnapping-torture-and-murder-of-22-year-old/ Mistrial approved for 3 defendants in Alishah Pointer case
