Boy, 15, charged as adult

By Terrie Morgan-Besecker tmorgan@timesleader.comLaw & Order Reporter

WILKES-BARRE – A 15-year-old boy who police say was seeking revenge over a fist fight was charged Monday with shooting another teen inside a Madison Street home.

Lee Charles Murphy of Eastview Drive, Wilkes-Barre, was charged as an adult in connection with the Sept. 3 shooting of 18-year-old Jeffrey Dalessandro. Murphy is charged with aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person, conspiracy and several firearms violations.

Police say Dalessandro was the unintended victim of a dispute that erupted earlier in the day between Dalessandro’s brother, Neicco, and Murphy and another youth.

According to an arrest affidavit:

Murphy and the other youth got into an argument with Neicco Dalessandro regarding comments the other youth made to Dalessandro’s girlfriend. The dispute led to a fight between Murphy and Neicco Dalessandro outside Dalessandro’s home at 53 Madison St.

A short time later, Murphy and the other youth returned to the home and Murphy again got in a fight with Neicco Dalessandro. Dalessandro’s aunt, Michelle Shafer, appeared on the porch with a dog to scare the youths away. The fight ended. As he was walking away, Murphy told Shafer he “had a bullet” for her and her dog.

Murphy returned to the home at around 11 p.m. with the other youth and a third male, identified only as “Smurf.” The men jumped Neicco Dalessandro and began fighting with him. During the fight, Dalessandro saw a gun in Murphy’s waistband and fled into his home.

Neicco Dalessandro said he closed the door and took cover behind a wall. He then shouted to Jeffrey, who was watching TV. Jeffrey was turning the corner in a hallway when Murphy fired at least four shots into the home, striking Jeffrey once in the arm and once in the abdomen.

Police said Murphy was interviewed and claimed “Smurf” fired the gun, but two witnesses identified Murphy as the shooter.

Luzerne County Assistant District Attorney Michael Vough said Murphy was charged as an adult because the crime he’s accused of committing falls within a section of the law that allows police to directly charge a juvenile as an adult. Murphy would have to file a petition in county court seeking to have the case transferred to juvenile court.

Vough said police determined the other youth, who is also a juvenile, was less involved in the case than Murphy. He will be charged in juvenile court with conspiracy to commit aggravated assault.

Murphy was arraigned before District Judge Martin Kane and taken to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $30,000 bail. He faces a preliminary hearing on Sept. 27.

Murphy is charged with aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person, conspiracy and several firearms violations.

Terrie Morgan-Besecker, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 570-829-7179