The family of an elderly man beaten to death with a traffic cone has expressed outrage after charges were dropped against one of the accused teenagers.
James Lambert Jr., 73, died after being fatally struck by the object while walking on a Philadelphia highway in 2022.
Gamara Mosley and Richard Jones, both 14, were among the gang of seven teenagers involved and were initially charged with her murder.
However, charges against Jones have been dropped, after his lawyer successfully argued that there is insufficient evidence to prove that his punch contributed to Lambert’s death.
“I think it’s a slap in the face to my family and all the other families that are victims of crime,” Tania Stephens, Lambert’s niece, told the Philadelphia researcher.
Charges were dropped against 16-year-old Richard Jones, accused of beating 73-year-old James Lambert Jr. to death with a traffic cone, sparking outrage from the victim’s family.
James Lambert Jr. (pictured) died after a group of seven teenagers attacked him, and two of them, including Jones, threw traffic cones at him.
The video captures the moment the seven teens chase Lambert, 73, of Philadelphia, around 3 a.m. in June 2022.
The horrific incident was caught on video and showed Lambert being chased by the group, before a traffic cone was thrown at his head.
He suffered several head injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
However, Jones’ attorney, Jason Bologna, successfully argued that it was impossible to prove that the blow delivered when his client threw the cone contributed to his death.
He noted that Lambert was able to immediately get up and walk away, indicating that he did not suffer a concussion or be seriously injured.
Prosecutors had argued that Jones’ actions had encouraged Mosley to hit Lambert twice after he did so.
But Bologna argued that there was no conspiracy between the children that night, meaning his client was not responsible for Mosley’s actions.
Common Pleas Court Judge Barbara McDermott agreed with his case and dismissed all charges against Jones, now 16.
The district attorney said she intended to appeal the decision, but Bologna defended her.
James Lambert Jr. tried to escape from the teens, but a girl grabs the cone and appears to hit him in the head as the teens chase the desperate man.
Police believe the teens recorded the assault on one of their cellphones and even laughed as they reenacted the fatal attack while walking down the street.
Police were offering a $20,000 reward for information about the seven teenagers.
“I view what happened to Mr. Lambert as a tragedy, but a tragedy that should not have been compounded by charging a 14-year-old boy in adult court with crimes that the evidence does not support,” Bologna said.
“In my opinion, Judge McDermott looked at this case objectively and made the correct decision.”
Mosley’s case was sent to juvenile court and she was convicted of murder, conspiracy and possession of an instrument of crime.
Details of his sentencing were not made public.
His mother Shira Mosley said fox 29 that her daughter was not a bad child, but that other members of the group had led her astray.
—It was the other kids, you know, bad influence. “I probably didn’t know, I didn’t mean to,” she said.
‘I just want to give my deepest condolences, we apologize. She’s sorry as a parent, she’s sorry, so all I can say is she’s sorry.”