Birmingham, Alabama – A 19-year-old teenager, Deionya Saki Harley, has been charged with capital murder in connection with the shooting death of 26-year-old Isaiah Tyson Anthony. The tragic incident took place on a southwest Birmingham dead-end street in September. According to testimony from Birmingham homicide Det. Jarvelius Tolliver, it was revealed that the victim, Anthony, was found fatally shot, face down on Laure Avenue, with his pockets turned inside out – indicating a planned robbery.
During the preliminary hearing before Jefferson County District Judge William Bell, Detective Tolliver shared that investigators recovered between 30 to 40 shell casings at the crime scene. Harley, the suspect, was also shot during the incident and underwent surgery for a gunshot wound to the stomach.
Following the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Bell determined that there was enough evidence against Harley to send the case to a grand jury for indictment consideration. The prosecution is being led by Jefferson County Deputy District Charissa Henrich.
Harley, who has been in the Jefferson County Jail since February 2 on unrelated charges of attempted murder and first-degree robbery, is represented in the capital case by attorneys Joseph Page and Charles Black of the Jefferson County Public Defender’s Office.
Further details from Tolliver’s testimony indicated that there were multiple guns fired during the incident, and a search warrant of the home where the shooting took place turned up several guns. Despite the presence of numerous individuals at the scene, it has been challenging to secure witnesses willing to come forward and provide testimony.
Arguments were made during the hearing regarding the sufficiency of probable cause to sustain the capital murder charge against Harley. The defense claimed that Harley did not fire until he was fired upon first and suggested that another party allegedly lured Anthony to the scene. Conversely, the prosecution emphasized the evidence pointing towards a planned robbery, as Anthony was found with his pockets turned inside out.
As the legal proceedings continue, Harley remains held without bond in the county jail. The case highlights the tragic consequences of violence and the complexities of seeking justice in such cases.