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3 suspects in case of 9-year-old shot to death in car plead not guilty

Posted at 11:26 AM, Oct 22, 2018
and last updated 2018-10-22 11:26:15-04

The three juveniles charged as adults in connection with the death of Saniyah Nicholson—the 9-year-old girl who was shot and killed when she was caught in the crossfire between two groups outside a shopping center— pleaded not guilty during their arraignment Monday morning.

RELATED: 9-year-oldgirl was killed in crossfire between two groups, police say

RELATED: Last suspect in fatal shooting of 9-year-old Saniyah arrested

Dyshawn Bonner, 17, Brewen Harrison, 17, and Damaris Perry, 16, were all charged as adults in September.

During their arraignment, they were each given a $5 million bond with no contact with the surviving victims or their families.

According to the court docket, Bonner and Perry are facing the following charges:

  • Five counts of felonious assault
  • One count of discharging a firearm near or on a prohibited premises
  • Five counts of attempted murder
  • One count of murder
  • One count of aggravated murder

Harrison is facing the following charges:

  • One count of murder
  • Four counts of attempted murder
  • One count of discharging of a firearm on or near prohibited premises
  • Four counts of felonious assault
  • One count of improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle
  • One count of having weapons while under disability

RELATED: Mother of girl killed in crossfire sets out to change laws, impact lives

The shooting happened on June 20. Saniyah Nicholson, of Maple Heights, was shot at the intersection of Lee Road and Harvard Avenue. The girl was sitting in her mother's car when gunfire erupted from two groups nearby and she was shot in the head, police said.

Since Nicholson's death, her mother has set out to change laws with a proposed legislation, dubbed "Saniyah’s Law", which could leave parents financially and legally liable if their children commit a crime.