Howard-George continues to push for charge dismissal
The attorney for a Butler man accused of helping another person burn and dispose of a woman's body after the other man allegedly shot her is attempting to have a felony charge of criminal conspiracy to commit homicide dismissed.
James E. Howard-George, 23, was charged with conspiracy to commit homicide and misdemeanor counts of abuse of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence after being accused of helping Ishemer Ramsey, 21, dispose of the remains of Melissa Barto, 26, after Ramsey allegedly shot her to death on June 8.
On June 12, Barto's partially burned body was found by a farmer in a field in Lawrence County.
A hearing was scheduled Friday before President Judge Thomas Doerr, after Howard-George's attorney Assistant Public Defender Charles Nedz filed a motion to quash the homicide conspiracy charge in October, but the hearing was continued. A new date has yet to be scheduled.
That motion states that the homicide conspiracy charge is not supported by the allegations made by the prosecution because Howard-George's alleged involvement came after Barto was already dead.
Howard-George continues to be held without bail in the Armstrong County Prison, where he was transferred Jan. 8.
