Advertisement

SHORT TAKES : Band Manager Guilty in Slaying

Share via
<i> From Times staff and wire service reports</i>

The production manager of the pop band New Edition was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter Wednesday in last summer’s fatal shooting of another band’s bodyguard outside the Pittsburgh Civic Arena.

Ronald Byrd, 31, of Los Angeles faces a maximum sentence of five to 10 years in prison for the shooting death of Anthony Bee, 33, of New York, who died July 9. The shooting climaxed two days of brawls between crew members of the two bands.

An Allegheny County Common Pleas Court jury deliberated more than 12 hours over two days before returning the guilty verdict, rejecting Byrd’s claim that he was justified in shooting Bee after the victim attacked him with a baseball bat.

Advertisement

Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey Manning revoked Byrd’s $100,000 bond and ordered that he be held in the County Jail to await sentencing April 18.

Advertisement