Todd West has said the devil made him gun down three random victims, one in Easton and two in Allentown.
Kareem Mitchell is facing trial later this year, accused of driving the getaway SUV in a Lehigh Valley killing spree that claimed three people in the summer of 2015.
While Todd West had admitted gunning down Kory Ketrow in Easton, and Francine E. Ramos and Trevor D. Gray in Allentown, there were two other people with him and both have been charged: Robert Jourdain and Mitchell.
The 24-year-old Mitchell, of Newark, is charged with three counts each of homicide and conspiracy, and a single count of attempted homicide. The Northampton County and Lehigh County cases are being prosecuted together in Lehigh.
West was charged with seven killings in all -- he pleaded guilty to the three in the Lehigh Valley and avoided the death penalty. He is awaiting trial in four that occurred earlier in New Jersey.
Killing spree gunman claimed devil made him do it
On Monday, Mitchell's attorney said his client continued driving out of fear, and there was no intent on his part to participate in the killings. Mitchell's defense would be a combination of duress and mental infirmity, and his attorneys are waiting on a forensic psychologist's report.
West admitted gunning down the three victims at random. He previously told investigators Ketrow looked tired as he was walking along Lehigh Street in Easton, and that he was going to "help" Ketrow. At his plea hearing, West said he killed the pair in Allentown because "I just wanted to kill them."
"Under the circumstances, a reasonable person might be in fear of leaving," defense attorney Brooks Thompson said on Monday.
Mitchell, of Newark, previously told investigators he was giving Jourdain a ride with his 2-year-old son to Easton, and West, whom he had never met before, came with them.
After dropping off the child, the trio went to Allentown so West could get a haircut, then went to an after-hours club, according to police.
Jourdain bought the ammunition for the killings at a Lower Nazareth Township Wal-Mart, prosecutors said, and Mitchell drive the Mercedes SUV the entire night, until it was disabled by a damaged wheel.
Eventually, Mitchell parked the damaged SUV in Allentown, bought a bus ticket back to northern New Jersey and walked around Allentown with the other two before taking a bus the night of July 6.
Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.