LANCASTER, Pa. — A man serving life in prison for a 1999 murder in Lancaster had the latest appeal of his conviction denied by the Pennsylvania Superior Court, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office.
Kirby Stewart, 50, has been in prison since he and two other men were convicted in the murder of Kirkland Hardy in 2000. The drug-related murder occurred in January 1999, according to the DA's office.
Stewart has filed eight appeals since his conviction, the DA's office said.
According to prosecutors, Stewart, Kawame Coe, and Michael Seaberry were convicted of killing Hardy in a drug-related murder involving New York men with gang affiliations.
Stewart, who went by the street name "King" and the alias Kevin Williams, was found guilty along with his co-conspirators in the shooting death of Hardy, who was killed on Jan. 18, 1999. The shooting was in response to an incident involving Hardy at a home on East King Street, according to prosecutors.
Hardy was shot several times as he walked on West Orange Street.
Stewart and Coe were tried together for the murder; another jury later convicted Seaberry. All three were found guilty of first-degree murder.
The state Superior Court, in its opinion denying Stewart’s request, noted Stewart’s “numerous unsuccessful petitions” for relief, according to the DA's office.
Lancaster city police investigated and filed charges in the case. Assistant District Attorney Mari Andracchio represented the Commonwealth in the latest post-conviction filing.
