The fate of three co-defendants, charged with the 2019 murder of a Manhattan man during an attempted robbery, won’t be resolved until after the first of the year.
A trial for Richard Goens is scheduled for Jan. 6, with a pretrial hearing on Dec. 20. Goens, along with Jaylon Hitsman and Shamar Sutton are each charged in the shooting death of 23-year-old Tanner Zamecnik outside a west-Manhattan apartment complex on Nov. 1, 2019.
Goens and Sutton are each charged with counts of first-degree murder, attempted aggravated robbery, aggravated battery, aggravated assault and criminal discharge of a firearm. Goens additionally faces a drug distribution charge.
Hitsman entered a plea deal in May and was subsequently found guilty of second-degree murder and aggravated battery. He was due to be sentenced at the end of August, however, due to his plea agreement, cannot be sentenced until after Goens’ trial is completed. Hitsman’s sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 24.
Sutton, who was due to be arraigned Aug. 30, had his case continued to Jan. 18 by Judge Grant Bannister.
A fourth co-defendant, Dylan Hitsman, was sentenced in March to 24 years in prison on charges of second-degree murder and aggravated battery.
Zamecnik was killed during an attempted robbery, guised as a drug deal.