Long Arms

You hear about the long arm of the law.

Coatesville organized crime gangs have reached out from within lockup. The shooting last weekend of Arthur Smith is directly related to Duron “Gotti” Peoples’ trial in West Chester today. The Arthur Smith shot in Coatesville early last Sunday morning and the Arthur Sharp mentioned in the trial are the same person.

Like I said, the chance of being mugged or robbed in Coatesville is not that much different from other areas of Chester County. What makes Coatesville so very much more violent than other communities in Chester County is that Coatesville is the drug distribution center of Chester County. Tens of millions of dollars in drug trafficking go through Coatesville. The shootings and murders here are over control of that traffic. Much of the violence outside the city limits of Coatesville is also related to the drug trafficking in Coatesville.

On a hot summer night in Coatesville you may see lots of people out on the streets. Some of them are wearing Kevlar underwear; it’s not a fashion statement. Just don’t be in the way when the bullets are flying.
Jim Pitcherella


DAILY LOCAL NEWS
9/12/2008
Peoples' trial heads to closing arguments
WEST CHESTER — Jurors in the trial involving the shooting of a former member of Coatesville's "Young Guns" gang are expected to begin their deliberations today to determine whether Duron "Gotti" Peoples is guilty of participating in the attack.
Common Pleas Court Judge Anthony Sarcione, presiding over the trial, sent the 12 jurors and two alternates home Thursday after the prosecution rested. The jury is scheduled to hear closing statements from the two attorneys in the case this morning.

Testimony Thursday centered around the version of events given by the victim in the case, Edgar "Juice" Barber, who said that he saw Peoples' face in the front seat of a station wagon that pulled alongside him at the Regency Park Apartments just before he was shot.

Although more than a dozen shots were fired, Barber, 30, was shot only once — in the back. He recovered from the wounding within a month.

Peoples, 31, is accused of attempted homicide, aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy in the Jan. 9, 2006, incident. Two other men, Donte "DC" Carter and Shamone "Tex" Kennedy, have also been charged.

Read the rest of the article here:
http://www.dailylocal.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20118221&BRD=1671&PAG=461&dept_id=635398&rfi=6