Syracuse, NY - A Syracuse man accused of accidentally shooting to death a woman riding with him in a minivan in May was indicted today on a more serious manslaughter charge in the death. Deon Farley, 23, of 245 W. Castle St., was originally charged with criminally negligent homicide in the death of Morgan McMahon. Authorities said McMahon, 25, of...
Syracuse, NY - A Syracuse man accused of accidentally shooting to death a woman riding with him in a minivan in May was indicted today on a more serious manslaughter charge in the death.
Deon Farley, 23, of 245 W. Castle St., was originally charged with criminally negligent homicide in the death of Morgan McMahon.
Authorities said McMahon, 25, of Fairfield Ave., was shot in the head when the gun in Farley’s hand fired as the minivan in which they were riding struck a bump cutting through a parking lot behind a store at the corner of Midland Avenue and West Colvin Street May 23. McMahon died the following day at Upstate University Hospital.
The indictment returned today by a county grand jury includes a criminally negligent homicide charge plus the more serious count of second-degree manslaughter.
The manslaughter charge, carrying a maximum penalty of 15 years in state prison, accuses Farley of recklessly causing McMahon’s death by consciously disregarding the risk of his conduct. The criminally negligent homicide charge, carrying a maximum penalty of up to four years in prison, accuses him of failing to perceive the risk of his conduct.
Farley also is facing charges of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and fourth-degree grand larceny in the indictment.
Authorities said McMahon and Farley were passengers in the vehicle being driven by Shikim Weston, 26, of 223 Warner Ave., as the vehicle was leaving the scene of a shooting a few minutes earlier. Police said someone in the minivan fired a shot at a car driven by Antwan Aiken, 26, causing Aiken to crash his car at South Avenue and West Castle Street.
Authorities said Farley took a handgun from Aiken’s car after Aiken ran from the scene. Farley had that gun in his hand when it fired, striking McMahon, as the vehicle struck the bump cutting through the parking lot to avoid the traffic light at the corner, police said.
Weston, identified by police as McMahon’s boyfriend, was named in the indictment on a single count of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison.