Four men accused in a "melee" on an Atlantic City casino floor that led to three people being stabbed have been ordered held pending trial.
Detention hearings for the four out-of-state defendants included portions of surveillance video that showed a fight on the Tropicana casino floor amidst the slot machines and another video of an alleged robbery outside the casino.
The two groups didn't appear to know one another before July 20, when something apparently happened that quickly "escalated into a major potentially deadly fight," Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Fipp told Judge Donna Taylor.
Delroy McNeil, 22, of Cary, N.C., and Jabari Cummings, 30, of Brooklyn, N.Y., are both charged with attempted murder.
But it was McNeil who was in fear of being killed that night, defense attorney Nicole Wise said.
He was stabbed inside the bathroom, where he overheard two men in the other group say they "intended to kill people some time tonight," Wise said.
The two men leave the bathroom with one stabbed. McNeil walks out after, also wounded.
Wise said the victim could not positively identify who stabbed him inside the bathroom, and admitted they all had been drinking, using the term "drunk like a skunk."
Cummings is accused of stabbing another man on the casino floor.
He also is accused of throwing two knives and drugs under the car the group came in after the attack.
Blood was found on the car door.
But Cummings' attorney, Laura Sutnick, said the victim's description of a man in a black shirt and black pants doesn't match her client, who was wearing a white tank top and jeans.
"(The victim) said he punched the person first, and the person immediately stabbed him," Sutnick said.
Video from the fight on the casino floor shows the victim "sucker punch" Shaun Laney, defense attorney Michael Schreiber said.
After a scuffle, Laney, who is all in black, and the rest of the group are forced outside.
Once outside, Laney, 25, and Tyevon Walker, 22, both of Brooklyn, allegedly robbed one of the men.
Surveillance video outside the casino shows the victim with his hands up as the two defendants went through his pockets, Fipp said.
She said this was an attempt to get the cell phone that they believed may have video of what happened inside.
Schreiber called that "absolute speculation and conjecture."
He said his client lost his phone in the tussle and that he was trying to get it back.
When asked about it during his detention hearing, Laney said the man gave him a phone but he wasn't sure if it was his or belonged to the other man.
"I don't want to sit here and lie to you all," Laney said.
"Did you rob him?" Schreiber asked.
"No, Sir," he replied. "Swear."
Taylor took a break during the detention hearing for Laney, who was the only one who had a recommended release under the formula used under bail reform.
She then ordered him detained pending trial, along with his co-defendants.
Schreiber said he will appeal that decision.
