Philadelphia Daily News from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page 4

COVINGTON Continued from Preceding Page VICTIM Continued from Preceding Page Naked man who was slain by cop was bipolar By G.W. MILLER III millergphillynews.com Jevon Lampkin took the PATCO High-Speed Line into Philadelphia to go shopping, his mother said. She doesn't know how he ended up naked in Center City, and she doesn't know what happened between Lampkin and the police officer with whom he wrestled. But she believes that her son shouldn't have been shot. "They could have maced him or they could have hit him with their nightsticks," said Sharon Lampkin.

"I would take two black eyes over his death." Jevon Lampkin, 23, died early Wednesday from gunshot wounds suffered during a bizarre encounter with police on Tuesday. Police sources say the confrontation began about 4:30 p.m., when Lt. Micha el Ko-pecki, heading down Market Street in his patrol car, saw a naked, agitated man at the corner of 9th Street, approaching passers-by. Kopecki pulled over and called polic radio. Before he could get out of his car, the man identified by police as Lampkin came up, reached in the driver' s-side window, and got both of his hands on Kopec-ki's gun, the sources said.

In an effort to get the gun, the man struck Kopecki in the face and started climbing in through the window, the sources said. Kopecki got control of his gun, and fired twice, hitting the man, who fell out of the car window onto the street. As Kopecki got out of his car, the man attacked him and then jumped into the car and tried to get it in gear. The sources said that Kopecki, worried that the man might injure someone with the car, fired at him several more times. CORRECTION The Daily News incorrectly reported LeBron James' endorsement deal yesterday in a story about hockey prospect Sidney Crosby.

James is signed with Nike. When we've made an error, we'll say so. If we need to clarify a point, we'll do that as well, and we'll do so on this page. If you have a concern about our coverage, please call Lorenzo Biggs at 215-854-5030 ore-mail See LAMPKIN Page 33 he said. "I was just minding my own business.

But then I saw him coming down Uth Street on his bike." Stewart said Covington, 43, rode past his own house at Uth and Ruscomb streets wearing a winter hat that seemed out of place in the middle of May. Covington stopped his bike between two parked cars and pulled up next to Stewart. The two men locked eyes and Stewart, who did not recognize Covington, said, "What's going on?" "Then he lifted up his shirt and showed me his gun, so I put my hands up. I thought he was going to rob me," Stewart said. Covington, though, wasn't out for money.

Stewart said Covington drew the pistol and opened fire. The last thing Stewart said he remember ed before waking up in a hospital several days later was Covington looming over him, his gun pointed down. "That was the bad part. He stood over and shot me. He never said nothing He just kept shooting Stewart said.

Amazing ly the bullets all missed Stewart's vital organs. He was wounded in the arm, leg, face, foot, abdomen and back. One slug broke his jaw. Stewart spent almost two months in the hospital and is still undergoing rehabilitation. He said he is struggling to understand why Covington shot him.

The two did not know one another personally, but Stewart said he was always near Covington's home Stewart is a close friend of Harold Belcher, Covington's next-door neighbor. Stewart said he and Belcher frequently hung out on the porch that Belcher and Covington shared. Still, Stewart said, "I didn't even know him. I might have seen him, but we never associated." Belcher said police investigators were at his home on Monday, looking for Stewart. "They said it was definitely Juan," said Belcher, 49.

"They had the gun and bullets that shot my friend." Police sources confirmed that ballistics tests run on weapons and ammunition taken from Covington's home last week matched the bullets used in Stewart's shooting. "He's insane," Belcher added. "He had no reason to shoot Dave. I wonder if he was gonna shoot me next." Belcher noted that he and Covington had several arguments about people sitting on their adjoining porch. Covington would frequently chase Belcher's children and their friends away from his side of the porch, he said.

Both men are relieved that Covington is off the streets, but Stewart said he wants justice. "I hope they prosecute his a- to the fullest. He shot too many people said Stewart, who plans to meet with homicide detectiv es. Covington's attorney, Charles Peruto STREET LEVEL by Jim MacMillan gated right now," McCann said. "We're looking at everything and I would anticipate that this will be completed before the case is next listed in court." Charles Peruto who represents Covington, had been defending Wells against the Bosket murder charge.

Peruto has since removed himself as Wells' lawyer to avoid creating a conflict by representing two men accused of the same crime Wells, who surrendered to police on April 1, has spent the last three months in prison without bail. His new attorney is Fred Goodman, of the Philadelphia Defender Association. "Since we were appointed in this case we have done an enormous amount of investigation, and it has been our belief, independent of this new evidenc that Mr. Wells did not commit this crime Goodman said. "We are hopeful that when the district attorne completes their investigation, the charges will be dropped." Peruto said he, too, is certain Wells is innocent.

He scoffed at the possibility that Wells and Covington were both involved. "In my opinion, the positive ID is plain wrong," Peruto said. "It was a lone gunman. My client Covington doesn't work with anybody. He's not a conspirator." Two sources yesterday specula ted that Wells, of North Philadelphia, had been at the scene as a bystander and later was recognized by the eyewitnes while the witness was perusing photos of possible suspects.

All those intervie wed who have seen both Covington and Wells said they do not resemble each other. Wells denied having been at the Logan subway stop of the Broad Street Line when Bosket was shot to death on March 7. Sources said he may have had a reason to lie to cops: Court records indicate that Wells, facing trial on drug charges, was a fugitive with a bench warrant lodged against him. Wells' attorney on the drug case, Eugene Tinari, said yesterday that he had postponed that case to await the outcome of the murder preliminary hearing. The drug case is scheduled to go to trial Aug.

3. Tinari said Wells posted bail when arrested in September 2004, on charges of possession with intent to deliver. He was listed as a fugitive until he was taken into custody in connection with murder. Bosket, 36, a father of four, was found shot to death at the bottom of the steps of the Logan station. After confessing to the crime, Covington urged homicide detectives to "check the gun," a source said yesterday.

The 9mm handgun Covington had on him when he was arrested last week matched the bullets fired into Bosket, the source said. Bosket lived just a few blocks from Covington. Police have not disclosed a motive for the murder. In his confessions, Covington said he had killed McDermott because she had irradiated him, causing headaches and a soft penis. He killed Devlin, his cousin, because the minister was using witchcr aft on him, he said.

POLICE GATHER at the scene (left) where two men were shot in Southwest Philadelphia yesterday. The men were in stable condition at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Police said a white car with tinted windows drove past the porch where the men were sitting, near 52nd and Heston streets, and opened fire shortly after 4 p.m. Police said that 17 shots had been fired. One of the men was hit in the head and the other in the buttocks, police said.

See VICTIM Page 33 PAGE 4 PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2005.