A street dice game in Pittsburgh’s East Hills neighborhood ended in murder one summer evening in June 1997. Charles Allen and his brother Cheyenne were playing craps when two armed men approached. One assailant, identified in reports as Darnell Johnson, known as Weedel, struck Cheyenne on the side of the face with a handgun. The other, identified as Julian Brown, demanded money from Charles.

After Charles handed over cash, Johnson, apparently believing more was being withheld, shot and killed him. Johnson also tried to shoot Cheyenne but the weapon did not fire, and both men fled. Cheyenne Allen’s courtroom identification of Johnson as the man who pistol-whipped him and who shot his brother was central to the prosecution.

Johnson and Brown were arrested and charged; Johnson was convicted at trial of second-degree murder, robbery, assault, criminal conspiracy, and firearms violations. Legal filings later show Johnson sought relief via a habeas corpus petition raising issues about counsel and the joint trial. If anyone knew Charles or was in East Hills that night, can you share information that might add to the record?