Site last updated: Friday, March 29, 2024

Log In

Reset Password
MENU
Butler County's great daily newspaper

Inmate in more trouble

Police allege victim intimidation

A man jailed on $1 million bail and awaiting trial for attempted homicide in Butler is now in more trouble with the law.

Butler police allege Hassan “Money” Lamar Brack, 27, of Butler, while in the Butler County Prison, threatened his intended target in last year’s near fatal shooting at a busy city intersection.

Police on Wednesday charged Brack with intimidation of a witness or victim.

According to court documents, Brack on March 17 reached out from behind bars and warned 26-year-old Brannon Irvin of Butler to “watch your body out here.”

Brack has been in the county prison since Sept. 11 on charges he shot Irvin point blank with a handgun.

City police allege Brack about 7:30 p.m. Aug. 19 got out of a sport utility vehicle, came up to another vehicle that Irvin was riding in and shot Irvin in the chest.

The daylight shooting at East Cunningham and South McKean streets occurred amid other traffic and witnesses.

Brack and Irvin apparently had gotten into an argument at a city bar that day.

Irvin was treated at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh for life-threatening injuries, including a collapsed right lung. He underwent three surgeries and was released two weeks later.

At Brack’s preliminary hearing Oct. 21, Irvin identified Brack as the shooter. The two men in open court exchanged angry words during Irvin’s testimony.

Brack’s ill will for his alleged victim continues, court papers filed this week suggested.

Irvin on March 18 reported that he received a three-way call at his home from Brack the night before. Inmates are allowed make phone calls, which they know are recorded.

Police later reviewed the audio recording of that call.

“How did you get my number?” Irvin is heard asking Brack, documents said. “I’m connected out there,” Brack replies.

During the phone call, police said, Brack offers a truce with his rival, even apparently offering Irvin money not to testify at his trial.

But when the victim balks, documents said, Brack repeatedly calls him a “rat” and uses a racially charged term for black.

Brack and Irvin are both black.

At one point, Brack tells Irvin to “just watch your body out there” and “my folks is on go time.”

Folks, police believe, is a reference to Brack’s gang and “go time” means the defendant’s gang will target Irvin if he testifies.

District Judge Pete Shaffer on Wednesday arraigned Brack on the charge of intimidating a victim, a first-degree felony. A preliminary hearing is set at 1 p.m. April 28.

Shaffer added another $100,000 to Brack’s bail, which was already $1 million in connection with the shooting.

In addition to attempted homicide, Brack in the shooting incident is charged with aggravated assault, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, illegal possession of a firearm and reckless endangerment.

A felon, he is prohibited from having any guns.

Brack is to appear in county court on May 16 for a pretrial hearing in the attempted homicide case.

More in Local News

Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter

* indicates required
TODAY'S PHOTOS