Man Admits Role in Dramatic Home Invasion

A 25-year-old Philadelphia man pleaded guilty Monday to his role in a 2011 home invasion and shooting on South Drive in South Whitehall that, according to earlier court testimony, stemmed from a failed hip-hop concert promotion.

Mikael R. Coles pleaded guilty to robbery, burglary, aggravated assault and conspiracy to commit aggravated assault in a negotiated plea before Lehigh County Judge Robert Steinberg, according to online court records. Additional charges were withdrawn.

According to testimony at Coles' preliminary hearing, Coles had gone to the home to get back $20,000 he had put up for a failed hip-hop concert in Philadelphia, according to an earlier report in The Morning Call. Coles wanted to get his money back from concert promoter Jermaine Herod, who lived there.

Police have said that Coles, Terrance Jamal Brown and two others had broken into the home in early morning through a basement window. Herod was shot through a door after being herded into an upstairs bathroom with his father, mother and other family members. He recovered.

Brown, who also is charged in the case, had testified that Coles fired the shots, but Coles denied doing so, according to a report on lehighvalleylive.com. He instead blamed Brown, who he said wanted to steal electronics, the report said.

Coles faces 20 to 40 years in prison, according to the report.