Two sisters accused of taking part in a brawl that left an Edgewood man partially paralyzed last November have been acquitted.
Layelle “Bobo” Reid, 15, and Tommyrre “Mimi” Reid, 16, were acquitted Friday of attempted murder, first- and second-degree assault, carrying a dangerous weapon with intent to injure, malicious destruction of property, gang association and disturbing the peace.
Judge Thomas Marshall dismissed the most serious charges after several witnesses could not say the teens were among those who beat and stabbed Gregory Simmons, 44, outside his Eloise Lane home the night of Nov. 25.
Then police testimony about the girls? alleged involvement in a gang was ruled inadmissible, and the jury acquitted them of the remaining charges.
“It?s still a tragedy because these girls were kicked out of school and lost their jobs,” defense attorney David Henninger said.
The 50-person brawl began with a smaller fight outside Simmons? house.
Layelle and Tommyrre?s mother, Celestina “Sweetie” Huff, demanded that her girls fight someone from the Simmons family as retribution for one of the Simmons daughters dating the same man as a member of the Reid family, prosecutors said.
According to testimony, the girls fought two family friends and left, with Huff promising they?d return.
When they came back with other friends and family members, Gregory Simmons said he was attacked as he tried to push his daughters back into the house.
Simmons? wife, Sherrie, testified last week that another teen, 15-year-old Shamere Germany, appeared to stab her husband in the back while the Reids? older brother, 17-year-old Otis Huff, hit him in the arms and head with a two-by-four.
Sherrie Simmons said she saw the sisters take part in punching and kicking her husband until he fell to the ground, but Greg Simmons and other witnesses said they did not.
Germany is scheduled for trial in October. Otis Huff is still being sought by police.
