DOVER, Del. (AP) - Delaware’s Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected an appeal by one of two gang members convicted of murder in a soccer tournament shooting that left three people dead.
The court affirmed a Superior Court judge’s finding that Jeffrey Phillips had failed to show that his trial lawyer was ineffective. The justices also upheld the judge’s rejection of claims that a trial judge erred in not ordering separate trials for Phillips and a co-defendant, Otis Phillips. The two men are not related.
Jeffrey Phillips also unsuccessfully challenged a protective order issued by the trial judge that prohibited defense attorneys from disclosing to him the identities or statements of cooperating co-defendants, some of whom were in a witness protection program. The court lifted the protective order 10 days before trial after a jury had been selected.
Jeffrey and Otis Phillips were convicted in 2014 of murder and other charges in the 2012 killing of soccer tournament organizer Herman Curry at Wilmington’s Eden Park. They were also convicted of manslaughter in the death of 16-year-old soccer player Alexander Kamara.
A cousin of Otis Phillips was fatally shot after being hit by return gunfire from soccer spectators.
Prosecutors said the two were out to avenge a friend’s death and to silence Curry, who witnessed a 2008 killing for which Otis Phillips was also convicted.
Prosecutors say the soccer tournament shootings occurred just hours after Jeffrey Phillips and other gang members crashed a gathering at an illegal party space in downtown Wilmington. The incident resulted in gunfire that left one of the other gang members dead.
Authorities said Jeffrey and Otis Phillips then went looking for revenge for the nightclub shooting, and to silence Curry before he could testify in court about the 2008 murder.
Both men are serving life in prison.
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