In the early hours of August 25, 2012, the life of 17-year-old Harold Young, known to his loved ones as 'Lil Butter,' was tragically cut short on the streets of his Hill District neighborhood in Pittsburgh. An African-American male, Harold was in the 2200-block of Bedford Avenue when gunfire erupted at approximately 1:40 a.m. Responding to the scene, police discovered two teenagers suffering from gunshot wounds.
Harold had sustained a fatal gunshot wound to his chest and was pronounced dead at the scene. Another 17-year-old, Corey Hairston, was also struck by multiple bullets to his legs but survived the attack.
The investigation into the shooting led police to identify Phillip Miller, a 23-year-old from Pittsburgh, as the suspect. Following his arrest, Miller faced charges for his role in the violent incident that claimed one young life and forever altered another. The case moved through the legal system, bringing with it the heavy weight of loss and the quest for justice for Harold Young and his grieving family and community.
In November of 2014, Phillip Miller appeared in court and pleaded guilty to a charge of third-degree murder in the death of Harold Young. In addition to the murder charge, Miller also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit criminal homicide and aggravated assault for the injuries inflicted upon Corey Hairston. As a result of his guilty plea, Phillip Miller was sentenced to serve between 15 and 30 years in prison. The sentence also stipulated that upon his release, he would be subject to a five-year period of probation.
