Silvonus Shannon, 20, is one of four defendants charged with felony murder for the September 2009 death of Derrion Albert, 16. Albert was kicked, stomped and beaten to death in an attack that was caught on video. Last month, a co-defendant was found delinquent in Cook County Juvenile Court, following a short trial by jury. Shannon is the first defendant to be tried as an adult in this case.

Although prosecutors allege that Shannon repeatedly kicked Albert in the head and took a flying leap, landing on Albert's head, Shannon's lawyer, Robert Bynam, stated that Shannon was an unwilling participant in the fight. Bynam said that Shannon initially tried to separate some of the combatants involved in the fight between students from Altgeld Gardens, a Chicago housing project and students from The Ville, the neighborhood surrounding the development. Bynam further said that Shannon himself was struck during the fight and that Albert was one of his attackers.

Shannon is facing felony murder charges and trial as an adult. If you or someone you know is facing criminal charges or juvenile charges of any kind in the Chicago area, one of the most important things you can do is hire a competent attorney to protect your interests.

Contact a Chicago criminal defense lawyer at my law offices today and get the legal help you need in the face of your or a loved one's charges.