Pennsylvania Democrats have settled down after a city council meeting on Wednesday that might lead to criminal inquiries.
During the bimonthly meeting of the Ellie City Council earlier this week, officials discussed the recent death of Marchello Woodard, a man who was shot and killed.
Council President Mel Witherspoon (D) shared his reasons for not attending the funeral or the meeting honoring Woodard, stating that the events “brought back what I thought was lost.”
Witherspoon recounted losing a friend to gun violence at the age of 17, shot with a double-barrel shotgun at close range. Reflecting on that time, he recalled his involvement with “the biggest gang in Newark, New Jersey.”
“I’ll figure it out. We’ll go,” Witherspoon mentioned, suggesting that Jersey City, which is looking for the suspect, might mention family connections—certainly when discussing Jersey City, family ties often bring up organized crime.
During high school, Witherspoon mentioned having to “move” away from his family due to his inability to cope with the death of his friend.
After relocating to Nebraska, he continued his education. Interestingly, he noted purchasing a gun soon after arriving in the new state.
Witherspoon reminisced about playing soccer and basketball, saying, “Nice guys would come to my room, and we had fun.” Yet, he follwed, “They left, but I kept my gun.” He recalled joking with Nick, someone who came to his room, saying, “‘You know, Nick, I could blow your head off.’ To which he said, ‘Go ahead.’ And, well, I did,” Witherspoon confessed.
He didn’t disclose Nick’s last name or clarify how they were connected.
Witherspoon claimed to have spent just one night in jail, avoiding court proceedings thanks to family ties. “I went back to basketball. My uncle was connected to the mafia. They called from Newark to New York, and I was out the next day,” he explained.
When he learned of Woodard’s death, it stirred up everything from the past.
Witherspoon’s athletic background includes playing for Ganon University’s basketball team, having transferred from Scotts Bluff Junior College in Nebraska, marking his place in the basketball hall of fame.
