Here’s the latest on the deaths of Brooks Sandwich House co-owner and ‘Jelli’ Young
The two men charged in the death of a Charlotte restaurant owner won’t face the death penalty, prosecutors said.
Steven Staples and Terry Conner Jr. are charged with murder in connection with the fatal shooting of Brooks Sandwich House’s co-owner Scott Brooks in 2019. The two men are accused of robbing Brooks of $100 before fatally shooting him.
Prosecutors on Thursday told a judge they would not seek the death penalty against Staples and Conner.
The Brooks case was one of two high-profile homicides to have pretrial hearings Thursday. The hearings, known as Rule 24 pretrial conferences, are held if a defendant is charged with a crime punishable by death.
Conner was denied bond in April, even though his defense argued that the prosecution had no DNA evidence, physical evidence or video linking him to the crime. Both Conner and Staples are charged with murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon, first-degree kidnapping and possession of a firearm by a felon. Staples is also being charged with the murder of four other people.
Thursday marked the second anniversary of the shooting.
The NoDa burger restaurant posted a remembrance of its co-founder on its Facebook page.
“Hard for us to believe it’s already been two years since we lost Scott,” the post said. “We sure to miss you Scott! And I hope your singing those corny songs to the angels!”
Murder of Miegellic Young
Prosecutors also said they would not seek the death penalty against the mother of a 4-year-old found buried in a backyard.
Malikah Bennett is charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Miegellic “Jelli” Young. Miegellic’s remains were found in the backyard of her family’s home in May.
Bennett won’t receive the death penalty if found guilty, prosecutors said.
Miegellic was found to be malnourished and dehydrated, and she had a “clump of hair within large bowel content” when she died, the Observer previously reported. Police said they believed Miegellic’s body had been buried since September 2020.
Bennett also is charged with felony child abuse, inflicting physical injury and felony concealing a death.
Tammy Taylor Moffett, Miegellic’s grandmother, also has been charged with concealing the possible murder of her granddaughter after the fact.
This story was originally published December 10, 2021 at 2:40 PM.
