Bar Shooting Trial Set to Begin Next Week

Jury selection starts Sept. 21, with the trial itself beginning Sept. 22, for Matthew H. Morales, 33, of Tobyhanna Township, accused of fatally shooting Henry Koroma Jr. at My Place Bar & Grill on Milford Road in Middle Smithfield Township back on May 24, 2024. Co-defendant Raymond Batiste, 40, accused of driving Morales away from the scene, faces two third-degree felony counts of hindering apprehension. Morales faces first-degree felony criminal homicide along with firearms charges. Monroe County District Attorney Michael Mancuso said at a Sept. 14 pre-trial conference he would still consider a plea deal before the trial starts, though defense attorney Alexandar Ward says he has been trying to get Mancuso's attention on that front for a while. Monroe County Court of Common Pleas President Judge Jonathan Mark will oversee the trial. One more wrinkle: less than three months after the shooting, Morales himself was shot eight times at a Salt Lake City nightclub, survived, and was extradited back to Pennsylvania to face these charges. Both men are presumed innocent until proven guilty.