Homestead, Pennsylvania



From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette of October 2, 2004

Charges are dropped in Homestead slaying



A witness to a deadly shootout in August in Homestead recanted his police statement, causing a prosecutor to withdraw homicide and related charges against two suspects.



Gregory P. Smith, 24, of the North Side, and Gary L. Butler, 26, of Penn Hills, were expected to be released from the Allegheny County Jail, where they had been held without bail.



The two were charged with the Aug. 9 shooting death of Dontez McCollum, 24, of Homewood.



Defense attorney James Wymard, who represents Smith, said at a coroner's inquest yesterday that his client and the co-defendant actually were attacked by McCollum and another man, Ivan Perrin.



Police said Perrin told them he witnessed the shooting outside a bar in the 800 block of Amity Street.



As the only witness called yesterday, Perrin denied that he gave a statement to police.



McCollum suffered a bullet wound that passed through his thighs and severed his femural(sic)artery. He died the next day at UPMC Presbyterian.



Smith was treated at UPMC Presbyterian for wounds he received in the shootout. Then he was arraigned on homicide charges.



Butler also was wounded.



Wymard said that had the case gone to trial, he and defense attorney Todd Hollis, who represents Butler, were prepared to make self-defense arguments.