NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. announced today that the Westchester County Grand Jury has indicted Z’inah Brown for the January stabbing death of another New Rochelle High School student, 16-year-old Valeree Schwab.
Brown has been indicted on one count of each of the following charges:
· Murder in the Second Degree, a class A-1 felony
· Manslaughter in the First Degree, a class B felony
· Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree, a class A misdemeanor
Brown (DOB 01/19/01) also has been indicted with two co-defendants, Dominique Slack (DOB 10/30/2000) and Carl Booker (DOB 07/16/2000) on the following:
· Gang Assault in the Second Degree, a class C felony
· Stalking in the First Degree, a class D felony
· Stalking in the Third Degree, a class A misdemeanor
Slack and Booker, additionally, have been charged with
· Assault in the Third Degree, a class A misdemeanor.
Slack and Booker were arraigned today (Wednesday March 28) in county court. Slack has been remanded to county jail without bail. Booker has been released on $25,000 bail. Both are scheduled to return to court April 17. 2018. Brown’s arraignment is pending.
Background:
On Jan. 10, 2018, prosecutors allege, a group of New Rochelle teenagers engaged in a course of conduct directed against Valeree Schwab and a 15-year-old New Rochelle High School student. The gang of teens, including Brown, Booker and Slack, physically confronted and assaulted Schwab outside on North Avenue resulting in a serious physical injury to Schwab. At the time of the assault, Schwab dropped her house keys and one of the teens picked up the keys. Schwab then followed the group to Dunkin’ Donuts, 646 North Avenue, to try to get back her keys and was stabbed by Brown. Schwab was pronounced dead later that day at Jacobi Medical Center, the Bronx.
All of the teenagers were students at New Rochelle High School.
Assistant District Attorney Laura Murphy and Assistant District Attorney Nicholas DiCostanzo are prosecuting the case.