By Troy Graham
The Philadelphia Inquirer
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — Tyree West thought the man accused of shooting him five times was still locked up and would be escorted into court by a couple of deputies.
Tuesday was going to be the first time he had seen Kenyell Scott since the 2008 shooting, but he was “cool” with seeing him in handcuffs.
Scott, however, had long been out of jail on house arrest, and walked into a Philadelphia courtroom for the start of his trial like any other citizen.
West flew into a “rage.”
“My first thought was to inflict punishment on Kenyell Scott,” West said. “I wanted to harm him.”
A police officer and a few court workers were able to restrain West and escort him out of the building before any punches were thrown.
After the District Attorney’s Office declined to press charges, Common Pleas Court Judge Lisa Rau decided to hold West in contempt of court. She also issued a bench warrant because West, under subpoena on Tuesday, had left the courthouse without her permission.
West returned to Rau’s courtroom on Wednesday, not as the victim of a crime but as a defendant.
“I understand he had an emotional reaction, but we can’t have that in the courtroom,” Rau said.
During an hour-long hearing in which the judge questioned witnesses including her own courtroom staff, West sat handcuffed at the defense table.
In the end, Rau found West not guilty of contempt, but said the courtroom “melee” had left her and other witnesses shaken.
“That’s what has been on my mind, all that could have happened,” she said.
West was shot on July 3, 2008, in West Philadelphia after his two stepdaughters had words with Scott in a line at a Chinese takeout, authorities said.
The stepdaughters called West, who came to confront Scott. The men exchanged words, prosecutors said, and Scott shot West at least five times.
Tuesday was supposed to be the first day of jury selection in the attempted murder trial of Scott. The trial now has been postponed, and Rau allowed Scott to remain free on bail.
Scott, 31, was not in court for West’s contempt hearing.
West’s wife, Dedra, said she and her husband were sitting in the first row of benches when Scott walked into the courtroom. Her husband jumped up and started shaking.
Anthony D’Emilio, a court officer, said West was gritting his teeth and gave a scream of frustration, but never said anything to Scott.
“He wasn’t ready to see the person who caused him so much harm,” Dedra West said. “I didn’t want to be near him. I didn’t want to be in the room with Mr. Scott.”
As West was being restrained, Scott darted into the judge’s “robing room” behind the bench. Rau said that was particularly dangerous because security could have mistaken him for the aggressor and assumed he was going after a judge.
“Kenyell Scott could have been shot,” she said.
No sheriff’s deputies were in Rau’s courtroom at the time. Because of a shortage of deputies, they are assigned to courtrooms only when the defendants are in custody, the judge said.
Rau said the “mere presence” of the deputies ensures “calm, safe proceedings.”
“This case really highlighted an ongoing concern that the judges and the court staff have had in recent weeks,” she said. “To make the assumption that, if the defendant isn’t in custody, the courtroom is a safe place, is a mistake.”
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