Rodney Ramseur and his girlfriend, Latia Jones, were sitting on the porch of his residence Monday evening, May 14 when an unidentified young Black male walked up to the couple and fired several shots, killing them both.

It’s early in the investigation and so far the actual motive hasn’t been determined, but detectives are speculating that Ramseur was targeted because he was a witness to a 2010 shooting. While that hasn’t been confirmed, it nonetheless has raised the issue of how to best protect witnesses in criminal cases — especially at a time of limited financial resources. Ramseur’s family is saying that he wasn’t protected by the police or the District Attorney’s office.

“We need our witnesses to fight crime and help get criminals off of our streets,” said Tasha Jamerson, spokesperson for the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office. “And the public should know that witness intimidation doesn’t just involve homicide cases, not anymore. Witnesses in illegal gun cases have been threatened also. But we are able to protect witnesses through our relocation program, and the public should also be aware of the fact that we have never turned anyone away who asked for our help. The police are very adept at determining when someone is being threatened. Any witness in any case who feels threatened would be offered services by both our office and the police department. We would never turn away anyone who asks for our help.”

In Philadelphia, the District Attorney’s office operates a witness relocation program. Witnesses who are going to testify in court can have themselves and their families moved on a moment’s notice to a safe location. No one who has been in the program and followed its protocols, such as staying out of previous neighborhoods, has ever been harmed.

It has often been said by numerous law enforcement officials and legislators that witness intimidation tears away at the very structure of the criminal justice system. When a crime has been committed and witnesses refuse to testify — either out of fear or the twisted code of ‘no snitching’ — cases can and often do get dismissed and criminals go free. On the federal level, witness protection has saved the lives of many people by providing not just relocation to another state but new identities as well. Of course, the witness takes considerable risks if they ever return to their old haunts — which is what happened to 23-year-old Chante Wright in 2008.

In January of that year, Wright returned to Philadelphia to see a relative who was gravely ill. She had been in federal witness protection after testifying against alleged drug dealer Hakim Bey in connection with the murder of Moses Williams in 2000. Bey is a relative of Dawud Bey, an associate of convicted drug dealer Kaboni Savage, who will be coming up for federal prosecution again in the case of the Coleman Family murders — a case where a family was killed in retaliation against a witness.

Wright had been in Philadelphia for only seven hours before she and her friend Octavia Green were both gunned down in the Grays Ferry section of Philadelphia, allegedly by Laquaille Bryant, an associate of Bey, who is now serving a life sentence for both murders. Wright was the second witness in the Moses Williams murder case, being killed after Omar Morris, who was shot to death on Christmas morning 2002.

“Witness intimidation affects many violent crime cases,” said Philadelphia District Attorney R. Seth Williams recently when he went before City Council to ask for additional funding to hire 13 additional assistant district attorneys. “The grim reality is that witness intimidation negatively affects virtually every homicide, and has been more and more of a factor in our non-fatal shootings as well. When there is witness intimidation, my assistant district attorneys must dedicate more time to the underlying cases, trying to ensure that victims and witnesses continue to cooperate and testify at trial. What we know is that the District Attorney’s Office is underfunded. I have said this during each of my prior two budget hearings. When you compare us to other prosecutors’ offices in the largest counties in the country, we now have the second lowest funding.”

One of the most notorious cases of retaliation against a witness in the city was the murders of the family of Eugene Coleman. Coleman, an associate of drug dealer Kaboni Savage, agreed with federal prosecutors to testify against Savage. In response, Savage allegedly ordered the deaths of Coleman’s family, who perished when their house was firebombed on October 9, 2004. The victims were Marcella Coleman, 54; Coleman’s infant son, Damir Jenkins, 15 months old; Marcella Coleman’s niece, Tameka Nash, 34; her daughter, Khadjah Nash, 10; Marcella Coleman’s grandson Tahj Porchea, 12; and a family friend, Sean Rodriguez, 15.

“Witness intimidation pervades our society, even in cases where it’s just perceived — that people just think they may be threatened,” said Deputy Commissioner Richard Ross. “It’s a problem across the country and in every criminal case and because of it, whether actual or just perceived, witnesses can be reluctant to come forward — and this is exactly what criminals want. It starts on the street with people who may have seen something and are told that if they say anything then something bad will happen. Now most of these guys don’t have the means to actually carry out a threat, but just the perception is often enough to deter witnesses. It ties our hands and emboldens criminals. But factually speaking it’s not as widespread as it is perceived to be — in the lion’s share of homicide cases it’s not an issue. Does it happen? Yes, but not nearly as often as people think it does.”

As the investigation into the murders of Ramseur and Jones continues, as of Tribune press time no suspects have been named. Ramseur had been a witness to the May 3, 2010, shooting of Savoeun Ning and had testified against the suspect, Garland Doughty on May 8. Doughty is now being held at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility.

Eyewitnesses of the shooting described the suspect as a Black male who was wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans, who fled the scene down Third Street in the direction of Godfrey Avenue. Ramseur, who originally gave a statement against Doughty, recanted his earlier testimony during the May 8 hearing. Ramseur was known to police, who continue to investigate to determine the exact motive in his killing.

“We have to look at every possibility, especially in a case like this,” Ross said.

Opening arguments began Monday, Feb. 4 in the federal trial of convicted drug dealer and former boxer Kaboni Savage, his sister Kidada Savage and two associates, Robert Merritt and Steven Northington.

Savage, who is already serving a 30-year sentence for drug trafficking, could face the death penalty for allegedly ordering the October 2004 firebombing that killed six people related to a former associate, Eugene Coleman. But according to federal prosecutors, Savage’s agenda of death didn’t start with allegedly eliminating the family of someone he considered to be a snitch. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Savage, Merritt and Northington; they are not seeking the execution of Kidada Savage.

According to federal prosecutors, Savage, his sister, Merritt and Northington were part of a violent drug operation based in North Philadelphia from 1997 to 2010. In the process of running the operation 12 people, including the Coleman family, were murdered either allegedly by Savage directly or on his orders.

Assistant United States Attorney David Troyer outlined in exacting detail the allegations against Savage and the co-defendants. The lengthy account included the methods, means and motivations behind a multi-million dollar drug operation that dealt in cocaine, crack, heroin, PCP and marijuana laced with PCP; known on the street as “wet”. Troyer also detailed for the jury how Savage allegedly ran the organization. It was a chilling story of fear, intimidation and murder - against not only rival drug dealers, but their family members as well.

According to Troyer, Eugene Coleman, also known as “Twin” had been a part of that operation and on October 8, 2004 was in federal custody. He had made a deal with the United States Attorney’s office and was going to testify against Savage and Northington in a pending federal drug case. Federal agents had offered to relocate his mother, Marcella Coleman and the rest of the family - an offer she refused.

“She was a corrections officer and she owned a gun. She knew how to take care of herself. That decision cost her. On the night of October 8, 2004, the Coleman family had settled in for the night,” Troyer said, naming each occupant of the house; Coleman’s niece, Tameka Nash, 34, Eugene Coleman’s infant son, Damir Jenkins, 15 months old, Marcella’s grandson, Tahj Porchea, 12 , Tameka’s daughter, Khadjah Nash, 15 and Marcella’s nephew, Sean Rodriguez, 15.

“All six were members of the Coleman family. But Sean would not play ball the next day, Tahj would not play video games. There would be no proms, no marriages and the only rest they would have would be in the grave,” Troyer said. “Around 5:00 a.m., the Coleman family drew their last breaths. Those last breaths were scorching heat that collapsed their lungs.”

Troyer said that on the orders of Savage, and with the willing assistance of his sister, Lamont Lewis kicked in the door of the Coleman residence in the 3200 block of North 6th Street and fired several gunshots into the house to keep everyone upstairs. Then Lewis allegedly threw in a red gasoline can filled with rags that had already been lit. The gas can exploded, and Merritt followed by allegedly throwing another gas can. There was another explosion, incinerating the house and killing everyone inside.

“A day later, when Lewis saw the news and heard there were children in the house he firebombed he confronted Kidada,” Troyer said. “She smirked and said ‘F---‘em.”

But Eugene Coleman, who still testified against Savage in the 2005 trial, will testify again in the new trial. Lamont Lewis, who pleaded guilty in the case, is also expected to testify in the trial which is expected to last at least three months.

Prosecutors have charged Savage, Northington and Merritt and Savage’s sister with RICO conspiracy - racketeering influenced and corrupt organizations - generally reserved for large organized crime operations. The superseding indictment alleges that Kidada Savage participated in the plan to firebomb the Coleman house. It also charges Savage with a 12th count of murder in aid of racketeering activity, adding Savage ordered the murder of Carlton “Mohammed” Brown on September 13, 2001. Savage and Merritt are also charged with the murders of the Coleman family, and one count of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering activity. Northington is charged with two counts of murder in aid of racketeering activity and one count of witness tampering. Savage, his sister and Merritt are also charged with one count of retaliating against a witness, and one count of using fire to commit a felony.

Federal prosecutors accused Savage and his crew of committing the following murders:

March 19, 1998 - the murder of Kenneth Lassiter, age 44, of Lansdale, PA, by Kaboni

Savage, near the corner of 8th and Butler Streets in Philadelphia

August 2, 2000 - the murder of Mansur “Shafiq” Abdullah, 22, of 11th Street,

Philadelphia, by Kaboni Savage and Kareem Bluntly (now deceased). Abdullah was shot

and his burned body was later recovered in the 4200 block of North Park Avenue, in

Philadelphia

September 13, 2001 - the murder of Carlton “Mohammed” Brown, age 27, of Darien

Street, Philadelphia, by Lamont Lewis, at 2800 South 64th Street, in Philadelphia

February 26, 2003 – the murder of Barry Parker, age 32, of Susquehanna Avenue,

Philadelphia, by Kaboni Savage and Steven Northington, in the 3900 block of North

Franklin Street, in Philadelphia

March 14, 2003 – the murder of Tyrone Toliver, age 26, of Cherry Hill, NJ, by Kaboni

Savage and Kareem Bluntly, in the 3500 block of North Palmetto Street in Philadelphia

March 1, 2004 - the murder of Tybius Flowers, age 32, of K Street, by Kaboni Savage and Steven Northington, in the 3700 block of N. 8th Street in Philadelphia.

Toliver was a customer of Savage’s who became a little shaky and untrustworthy, so Toliver was shot to death inside Coleman’s apartment. Flowers was a witness to the murder of Kenneth Lassiter, a rival drug dealer. Flowers was going to testify against Savage. Barry Parker was another rival drug dealer who, after serving time in prison hit the streets trying to re-establish. The only problem was the block he was working now belonged to Savage and his associates. Carlton Brown, another alleged rival was murdered in retaliation for shooting Ronald “Pumpkin” Walston to death in 2001.

But, according to Troyer, Savage’s vows of revenge against those who either crossed him or threatened to testify against him were wide ranging. After the deaths of Coleman’s family, on November 9 and 10, 2004 he allegedly threatened to kill witnesses, their families and government informants. Troyer played for the jury a series of tape recordings of Savage allegedly outlining his plans.

On November 12, 2004 Savage was recorded allegedly plotting to kill the children of witnesses to keep them from testifying. “You took me away from mine; I’m gonna try to take you away from yours. The fight don’t stop ‘til the casket drop,” he was recorded as saying.

Many of those recordings were played at Savage’s 2005 trial. When he was cross examined by the prosecution he said the threats was just talk and that he was venting.

Jury selection is nearing completion in preparation for the upcoming federal trial of convicted drug kingpin Kaboni Savage.

Savage is facing twelve counts of murder, including the deaths of the entire family of a former associate, Eugene “Twin” Coleman.

According to federal prosecutors, Savage allegedly either ordered or committed 12 murders related to his alleged violent drug gang that operated primarily in North Philadelphia between 1997 and 2007. In a superseding 2009 indictment, federal prosecutors assert that Savage retaliated against Coleman who agreed to testify against him. Savage’s response was to allegedly engage co-defendant Lamont Lewis to firebomb the Coleman family residence in the 3200 block of North 6th Street in the early morning hours of October 6, 2004. The inferno killed Coleman’s mother, Marcella Coleman, 54; his infant son, Damir Jackson, 15 months old; Tameka Nash, 34; Khadijah Nash, 10; Marcella Coleman’s grandson, Tahj Porchea, 12; and a family friend, Sean Rodriguez, 15.

Savage is accused of either committing or ordering the following homicides:

Kenneth Lassiter, 44, of Lansdale, Pennsylvania — killed on March 19, 1998, allegedly by Savage near the corner of 8th and Butler streets:

Mansur “Shafiq” Abdullah, 22, of Philadelphia — killed August 2, 2000, allegedly by Savage and Kareem Bluntly (now deceased). Abdullah was shot and his burned body was later recovered in the 4200 block of North Park Avenue;

Carlton “Mohammed” Brown, 27, of Philadelphia — killed on September 13, 2001, at 2800 South 64th Street;

Barry Parker, 22, of Philadelphia — killed on February 26, 2003, allegedly by Kaboni Savage and Steven Northington, in the 3900 block of North Franklin Street;

Tyrone Toliver, 26, of Cherry Hill, New Jersey — killed on March 14, 2003, allegedly by Kaboni Savage and Kareem Bluntly, in the 3500 block of North Palmetto Street.

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Savage, 37, and codefendants Robert Merritt, 31, and Steven Northington, 40.

A fourth defendant, Savage’s younger sister Kidada, 30, faces life in prison.

“These were not just drug dealers selling drugs,” then-U.S. Attorney Laurie Magid said in April 2009 after a 25-count indictment against Savage was unsealed. “They were ruthless murderers.”

Convicted in 2005 for drug dealing, Savage is already serving a 30-year sentence.