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CHICAGO (AP) — Two years after a Facebook feud over a boy ended with one 14-year-old girl dead and another 14-year-old girl charged with murder, the aunt of the accused Chicago teen was arrested on federal charges that she supplied the gun.
Vandetta Redwood, 34, appeared in federal court Thursday, where she pleaded not guilty and a judge ordered her held without bond.
Redwood is charged with transferring a firearm to a juvenile while knowing that teen intended to use it in a violent crime, and possession of a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school zone.
The April 28, 2014 shooting of Endia Martin shocked even some people accustomed to gang violence in parts of Chicago, because it suggested that grabbing and shooting a gun was seen as a way to settle a score between students.
According to prosecutors, the Redwood contacted an uncle, who was described by police as a gang member confined to a wheelchair after he was shot in 2010. Donnell Flora was convicted last month of first degree murder, for his role in supplying his niece the gun. But from two relatives.
At his trial, Flora said when he gave the weapon to his niece, he told her to give it to Redwood. Authorities said that the girl gave the weapon to Redwood and that Redwood gave it back to her moments before Martin was shot.
In the indictment, the U.S. Attorney's office said that Redwood is charged with "transferring" the 38-caliber revolver to the suspect before the shooting.
The girl, now 16, is awaiting trial in juvenile court.
Redwood has long been seen by authorities involved in Martin's death and was even charged in state court shortly after the shooting by Cook County prosecutors with mob action and obstruction of justice. At the time, they said that Redwood encouraged the suspect and other teens about to fight Martin and teens to "kick their ass." But a judge dismissed the charges.
Redwood was represented Thursday by a federal defender program attorney. The attorney did not immediately return a call for comment.
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