Oct 16, 2012 1 min read

A trial is scheduled to start today for a Washington man accused of shooting another man on the basketball court of an East Washington community center. Washington County Judge John DiSalle will preside over the trial for EL-Hajj Malik Turner, 19, of 750 Fayette St., who is charged with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and simple assault. Turner is accused of shooting Marti Brown, 21, of Washington, Dec. 2 while outside LeMoyne Multicultural Community Center. Brown told police Turner shot him twice, in the leg and side, with a revolver while he was standing on the basketball court. A jury was selected Monday before Judge Janet Moschetta Bell, who was slated to preside over the trial. However, the case was transferred to DiSalle because Moschetta Bell recently announced she would be retiring at the end of the year and would not be on the bench to sentence Turner should he be convicted. DiSalle was assigned the case after David Allen McClelland, 57, of Coal Center, pleaded guilty to first-degree homicide for killing 92-year-old Evelyn Stepko, also of Coal Center, in her home July 17, 2011. McClelland chose a life sentence instead of facing a possible death penalty if convicted in a trial.