By Carl Hessler Jr. , North Penn Life
Yeshtila Awoke Ameshe, a resident of Maryland, will not face the death penalty if convicted of murder charges in connection with the fatal shooting of his aunt in Towamencin, Pennsylvania, eight years ago.
“We reviewed the case and we determined there are not sufficient aggravating factors to justify pursuing the death penalty,” Montgomery County Deputy District Attorney Christopher Maloney said Monday after accused killer Yeshtila Awoke Ameshe was arraigned on murder-related charges.
In order to win a death sentence, prosecutors must show that aggravating factors — things that make a killing more heinous — outweigh any mitigating factors — those things in favor of a defendant. Under state law there are about a dozen aggravating factors that prosecutors can use to justify seeking the death penalty.
Ameshe, 34, of Adelphi, pleaded not guilty during his formal arraignment to charges of first- and third-degree murder, aggravated assault and possession of an instrument of crime in connection with the June 27, 2000, shooting death of his aunt, Haregewene Bitew, inside a Dock Village apartment in Towamencin.
Ameshe, who is represented by defense lawyer Scott Krieger, was assisted during the hearing by an Ethiopian interpreter.
Judge S. Gerald Corso scheduled Ameshe’s trial for July 14.
Ameshe’s arraignment came on the heels of Corso’s recent determination that Ameshe is competent to stand trial. Ameshe’s competency was at the heart of several court hearings over the years during which Ameshe’s lawyer claimed he was incompetent to stand trial while prosecutors claimed he was competent.
Ameshe, who had been housed at Norristown State Hospital while lawyers argued about his competency, has been transferred to the county jail, where he will remain without bail while he awaits trial.
During one competency hearing two years ago, Ameshe, through Krieger, claimed he was mentally incompetent to stand trial. At that time, a psychiatrist hired by the defense testified Ameshe had a mental illness that led him to believe his aunt is still alive and that Ameshe showed no ability to adequately assist Krieger in devising trial strategies.
However, at that time, Maloney alleged Ameshe was “malingering,” or faking mental illness in order to avoid prosecution. Maloney called Ameshe’s claims “manipulative, a total fabrication and a ruse.”
Another forensic psychiatrist who evaluated Ameshe and testified for prosecutors claimed Ameshe is competent to proceed to trial. The prosecution’s psychiatrist claimed Ameshe understands the charges and court procedures.
According to court documents, Bitew, a 60-year-old licensed nurse from Silver Spring, Md., died after sustaining gunshot wounds to her head, neck and torso inside the Community Drive apartment. Several relatives of the victim were in the apartment at the time of the 8 p.m. shooting or witnessed the crime, court papers indicate.
Witnesses told detectives that Ameshe, who speaks Amharic, an Ethiopian language, was being counseled by Bitew about a problem with his girlfriend shortly before the shooting, according to the criminal complaint.
Ameshe fled in a vehicle, which was later stopped by state police, according to court documents. Troopers recovered a 9 mm handgun from the car operated by Ameshe, the criminal complaint alleged.