Zachary Flowers' guilty plea was retracted days before the trial of Andrew Torres is to begin.
Days before an Allentown man's trial on homicide charges is scheduled to begin, a co-defendant in the case has refused to testify, according to the Warren County prosecutor.
Zachary Flowers, 22, faces a new trial on charges from a 2012 robbery-turned-homicide in Phillipsburg after refusing to testify against a co-defendant. (lehighvalleylive.com file photo) As a result, the planned witness, Zachary Flowers, may eventually face a trial of his own.
Andrew Torres, Flowers and two others allegedly participated in a 2012 robbery-turned-homicide at a Phillipsburg gas station.
Torres, now 26, of Allentown, is accused of fatally shooting Kismathdas Kasam, an attendant at the Main Street BP station that January. His trial is to begin with jury selection on Tuesday.
Flowers, now 22, also of Allentown, allegedly accompanied Torres in the robbery.
In August 2012, Flowers pleaded guilty to conspiracy, armed robbery and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and was sentenced to 17 years in prison. A first-degree murder charge was dropped as part of the deal, which also came with the condition that Flowers testify against Torres.
On Friday, Flowers "indicated he no longer wishes to testify" and a judge retracted the plea, Prosecutor Richard Burke said.
Burke said a grand jury will review the charges against Flowers.
The prosecutor also said the development will not affect Torres' trial. The other two co-defendants -- Flowers' sister Alexis Flowers, of Allentown, and David Beagell, of Blakeslee, Pa. -- pleaded guilty in 2012 and are expected to testify, he said.
"We're still pretty confident," Burke said.
Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
