Suspended student waives hearing in Duquesne shootings

PITTSBURGH (AP) _ A Duquesne University student charged in connection with the shooting of five basketball players on campus waived her preliminary hearing. <br/><br/>Brittany Jones, 19, of Penn Hills,

Tuesday, September 26th 2006, 10:44 am

By: News On 6

PITTSBURGH (AP) _ A Duquesne University student charged in connection with the shooting of five basketball players on campus waived her preliminary hearing.

Brittany Jones, 19, of Penn Hills, is charged with helping the two men accused of the shooting and four others get into an on-campus dance Sept. 16, even though she knew several among the group of six were carrying guns.

The shooting occurred early Sept. 17 as the basketball players left the dance. The most seriously injured player, Sam Ashaolu, remained at Mercy Hospital on Tuesday.

Jones was arrested Sept. 18 on charges of reckless endangerment, carrying a firearm without a license and criminal conspiracy. On Monday, she waived a preliminary hearing in which she could have challenged whether prosecutors have enough evidence for her to stand trial.

Prosecutors and Jones' attorney, James Ecker, declined comment on whether she was cooperating with authorities.

Preliminary hearings were postponed for two men charged in the shootings _ William Holmes, 18, and Brandon Baynes, 19, both of Penn Hills. They remain in the county jail.

Doctors removed a bullet fragment from Ashaolu's head Monday. The other players who were injured _ Kojo Mensah, Stuard Baldonado, Shawn James and Aaron Jackson _ are back on campus.

Several players told The Associated Press the shooter was a non-student unhappy that a woman he accompanied to the dance had talked with a player.

The university has suspended Jones.