Yanirah Davis was ordered held at her detention hearing.
Anger and jealousy led to a Galloway Township woman being wrongly connected to a shooting that accidentally struck an Atlantic City boy asleep in his home, the defendant’s attorney insisted during a detention hearing.
Yanirah Davis, 22, of Galloway Township, is accused of bringing a hammer to the 100 block of North Rhode Island Avenue on May 25, and smashing a windshield as part of an ongoing battle with a group of women.
Davis then turned the tool on one of those women before yelling for her aunt to “shoot them,” the state alleges.
Yontay Cooper, 33, of Egg Harbor Township, allegedly listened to her niece and fired five rounds.
But instead of hitting her target, the state alleges that one of the bullets went inside a home, striking an 11-year-old boy who still has a bullet lodged near his spine.
Both women fled in a car that was later pulled over, according to the state. The driver implicated the two women, although they were not arrested until later and were not together.
Davis was actually beaten by the same group at the Pleasantville Wawa before she was arrested.
Yanirah Davis appeared to have a black yet when she briefly appeared via video from the jail a few days before her detention hearing.Video played by defense attorney Lou Barbone showed the same group of women that were in Atlantic City attacking Davis inside the vestibule in between the outside and inside doors of the store.
A woman eggs them on, saying to beat her up and then they will call police to come get her.
Police do later arrive, appearing to treat Davis’ injuries before she is put into the police car.
The only person charged in that fight was Rashida Molley, 32, of Pleasantville, who is accused of deploying mace inside the store. She also was charged with simple assault. She was released on summonses.
But Molley is the antagonist in the battle, Barbone told the judge.
Molley’s estranged husband became romantically involved with Davis, who became pregnant, Barbone explained.
He then listed incidents in which he claims Molley came after his client.
In February, Molley allegedly showed up to her former marital residence in Galloway Township, chasing a then-five-months-pregnant Davis around with a knife.
Barbone said a police report was filed at that time, but there do not seem to be any charges in the system against Molley from February.
Molley was charged with harassment and criminal mischief April 8 in Pleasantville.
That stemmed from an incident in which Molley alleged Davis assaulted her. But Davis and her mother gave police a different story.
Molley — who lives near Davis’ mother — tried to throw acid on the younger woman, and then used a knife to break windows when Davis ran inside the home, Barbone said.
“I have filed many charges on (Molley) in which she shows no sign of caring,” Davis’ mother wrote in a letter Barbone read to the court.
“The hate she has for my daughter and jealousy is showing,” the statement continued. “(Molley) will harm anyone else to get to my daughter. She is a danger.”
Judge Christine Smith found that Davis is the danger in the latest incident, ordering her held in jail until the case is resolved.
Cooper already was ordered held by the same judge.
She maintained her innocence at that time, and said she was being held based upon hearsay.
