Conspiracy charge against woman withdrawn
A Uniontown woman arrested as an alleged conspirator in a robbery that led to the death of Charles “Cha Cha” Lendell had charges against her withdrawn on Thursday at a preliminary hearing. Jonie Lee Hall, 21, of 18 Lemon Wood Acres faced charges of robbery and criminal conspiracy to commit robbery for reportedly giving clothes and socks to Lendell, Antonio Lanko and David “Taboo” Sims. State police said the socks were for the three men to wear on their hands when they allegedly tried to rob James Simon Thompson, Alvin Goney and Steven Price at 104 Lemon Wood Acres last Dec. 29.
During the alleged robbery, Thompson shot Lendell. Prosecutors determined the shooting was in self-defense and did not charge Thompson. However, because Lendell, Sims and Lanko were allegedly robbing the men, police charged Sims and Lanko with responsibility for Lendell’s death.
A month after the shooting, trooper David A. Davison filed charges against Hall.
The arrest warrant alleged that Lanko, Sims and Lendell met with Hall at her home between 6:45 and 7:30 a.m. the morning of the alleged robbery to plan the crime. Davison said Hall gave shirts and socks to Lanko and Lendell. The shirts, according to police, had the arms cut off so the men could use them as masks to cover their faces.
When police arrived on the scene after Lendell was fatally shot, they found his hands covered with socks, according to the arrest warrant.
Although Lanko, who agreed to testify against Sims, told police that Hall did help plan the robbery in exchange for crack, Assistant District Attorney Phyllis A. Jin said the case against Hall just wasn’t strong enough.
“We withdrew the charges against her because I don’t think the commonwealth could have met its burden of proof, even at the preliminary level,” said Jin.
A conviction for robbery could have sent Hall to prison for 20 years.
With the dismissal of Hall’s charges, and Sims recent sentence of five to 10 years for involuntary manslaughter in Lendell’s death, Lanko’s case is the only one left unresolved.
The 16-year-old Uniontown Area High School student won ROR bond and was released from prison after agreeing to testify against Sims at an April 11 preliminary hearing. Since Lanko agreed to cooperate, prosecutors dropped the criminal homicide charge filed against him. Lanko is still charged with robbery and other related offenses.
Lanko’s attorney, Mark F. Morrison, said previously that he would likely file a petition to move the charges against his client back to juvenile court. Such a motion has yet to be filed.