After being delayed several weeks, the preliminary hearing of the alleged killer of a local transgender woman got off to a strong start in favor of the prosecution.
Judge Patrick F. Dugan ruled that Assistant District Attorney Guy D’Andrea had met the Commonwealth’s burden of proof to proceed will all charges against defendant Raheam Felton, including first-degree murder.
Felton is charged in connection with the May 18 murder of 21-year-old Londyn Chanel.
Instrumental in D’Andrea’s case against Felton was testimony from Maiya Bankz. Bankz was living in the abandoned North Philadelphia house with Chanel, Felton and another woman at the time of Chanel’s death and was an eyewitness to the alleged murder.
Bankz said 31-year-old Felton was her boyfriend of approximately one year. The three had been living in the abandoned home in the 2200 block of Ingersoll Street for only a few days.
According to Bankz, Felton, Chanel and the other woman, identified only as Star, returned to the house after Bankz had asked Felton to pick up some Chinese food.
Bankz said she had fallen asleep waiting for Felton to return.
Felton arrived and joined Bankz in the third-floor bedroom of the house to eat. Minutes later, Bankz testified, Chanel entered the room and told her that Felton had been sexually touching her.
Bankz testified that, at that point, Felton began to stab Chanel, apparently upset by the accusation against him.
The medical examiner’s report indicated that Chanel was stabbed a total of six times: four times in the right side of her back, once in the neck and once in the lower left side of her chest. All of the stabbings penetrated the skin, with some wounds as deep as four inches.
Bankz said that after recovering from shock, she tried to separate Felton and Chanel and eventually succeeded in pulling Chanel away. She said she tried to pin Felton’s arms to his side and get him to put the knife down.
At this point, Bankz said Chanel was laying on the floor, and Felton ran downstairs.
Bankz said she ran downstairs as well to call 911, and was joined by Felton outside and the two tried to find someone to call police. Felton eventually found a school cop to call 911.
Then, according to Bankz, she went back up to the scene to bring Chanel downstairs and outside so the ambulance could tend to her more quickly.
She said she asked Felton for help carrying Chanel down the stairs and he helped as much as he could, given his left arm was paralyzed from a stroke unrelated to the incident.
When authorities arrived, Bankz said, an ambulance took Chanel away and police began questioning Felton.
Bankz said police asked, “Who did it?” and that Felton responded by saying he didn’t know who did it. At which point, Bankz said, she interjected and told police Felton was the stabber.
Defense attorney Charles P. Mirarchi 3d argued that the incident was a “fight,” and said the defendant’s actions were in self-defense and made without specific intent, thus warranting a lesser charge like third-degree murder.
However, D’Andrea contended that Felton’s actions were unprovoked by any physical altercation, and the severity and number of stab wounds to the victim indicated intent.
Dugan agreed with the prosecution and let all charges stand against Felton.
The next court date is set for 11 a.m. July 14 in Room 1104 of the Criminal Justice Center, 1301 Filbert St.