Staff photo / Ed Runyan Tanisha Harvey, mother of Per’asia S. Godfrey, 19, who is on trial on a charge of felonious assault, testified in Godfrey’s trial Tuesday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

YOUNGSTOWN — Testimony resumed Tuesday in the felonious assault trial of Per’asia S. Godfrey, 19, of Youngstown, accused of stabbing another woman during a large June 13, 2024, fight on Cameron Avenue on Youngstown’s South Side.

Testimony wrapped up Tuesday, and the case resumes this morning with closing arguments and jury deliberations.

Several defense witnesses testified Tuesday, including the mother, sister and cousin of the defendant.

Tanisha Harvey, Godfrey’s mother, said she was selling dinners on the day of the fight, so she was cooking when she learned from another daughter that some girls from Warren wanted to fight her.

That daughter said the fight was over “some boy I dated when I was younger.” Harvey said she told her “You’re not allowed to fight somebody over a boy.”

That daughter said the girls were sending her messages on Instagram, so Harvey told her to stop responding. But then they were texting her son with the same type of messages.

Eventually one of the kids saw the kids from Warren in a parking lot up the street and told her children to “come up here.” She said eventually the Warren kids came to her house.

Harvey testified, “I told my kids I’ve been telling you not to go out there. But when it comes to coming to your house, this is too much. So I told my kids, as long as they don’t come on your property, don’t worry about it.”

The alleged victim of the incident was near Harvey’s house and told one of her daughters that when the fighting starts, “It’s going to be me and you.” Harvey said she asked her why, and she said “Cause I want to fight her,” but she “didn’t give no reason.”

Then some fighting started between another daughter and a girl, so Harvey was watching that child to make sure nothing dangerous happened. Meanwhile another girl “went for Per’asia’s hair,” and they started fighting.

A short time later, her nephew, who was recording the fighting on a cellphone said, “She’s got a gun. She’s got a gun,” Harvey said.

People swarmed toward the girl who allegedly had a gun, Harvey said. “Once they were able to get to the (person with the gun), they started beating (that person) up, and then everybody else took off running to their cars, and they left her,” Harvey said.

Defense attorney Mark Lavelle asked her if all of that explains how the alleged victim “got cut,” and Harvey said, “No. She didn’t.”

Mahoning County Assistant Prosecutor Katherine Jones asked Harvey if it is true that “You love her. You don’t want her to get in trouble,” and Harvey agreed.

Jones asked if she called the police, and Harvey said “It happened too fast.”

Under further questioning, Harvey gave the name of the girl who allegedly had a gun. Harvey said she saw the gun.