News

September 10, 2009

Stabbing case going to a trial

W-B woman pleads not guilty to killing woman in April during argument over bank access card.

By Sheena Delazio sdelazio@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
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WILKES-BARRE – A woman accused of stabbing and killing Sandra White on North Main Street in April in an argument over a bank access card pleaded not guilty Wednesday to criminal homicide.

Shannon Lynn Chamberlain, 28, with a last known address of Monroe Street, entered the plea at an arraignment before Luzerne County Court Judge David Lupas.

Chamberlain will now be scheduled to stand trial on the charges. Lupas said he will issue an order on when the trial will be held, as well as on other trial-related issues.

According to court papers, on April 18 Wilkes-Barre police were called to North Main Street, between North and Beaumont streets, for a report of a woman believed to have been shot.

The woman, later identified as White, was found bleeding profusely from a single stab wound in her back. Police said she died from her injuries around 11:43 p.m., just over an hour after being found, at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center.

Authorities said White, 42, of 456 N. Main St., and Chamberlain were arguing at 240 N. Main St. when Chamberlain allegedly stabbed White in the back just before 10:30 p.m.

According to court records, Shawn Patterson and Chamberlain were at the apartment visiting Patrick Walsh when, Patterson claimed, she received a phone call from White at about 9:47 p.m.

Patterson didn’t answer her cell phone, but told police that White showed up at the apartment a few minutes later. White blamed Patterson for taking her bank access card.

Walsh told the women to leave his apartment because he didn’t want any trouble. As Patterson and White continued to argue, Patterson claimed, White began arguing with Chamberlain.

Patterson told police that she grabbed Chamberlain’s hand and told her “Let’s go.”

They began to walk away when Chamberlain pulled away from Patterson and went back to White, which prompted a second argument, investigators said.

Patterson continued to walk away on North Main Street when Chamberlain caught up to her saying, “I stabbed the bitch,” according to the complaint.

Patterson said she didn’t believe Chamberlain because Chamberlain wasn’t carrying a knife.

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