Being the brother of a murder suspect has its advantages

Prosecutors charge Sterling Fusi's brother, Max, helped him get rid of his gun after fatally shooting a man earlier this year.

But Max Fusi, 19, is only being charged with possession of an illegal weapon, rather than the more serious crime of being an accessory after the fact because of that blood tie, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney's office, which cites state law:

The fact that the defendant is the husband or wife, or by consanguinity, affinity, or adoption, the
parent or grandparent, child or grandchild, brother or sister of the offender, shall be a defence to a prosecution under this section.

Sterling Fusi, 23, was ordered held without bail today at his arraignment on charges he murdered Travis Davis on June 5.

The DA's office charges Davis went to the Centre Terrace apartment where the Fusi brothers lived and got into an argument law-enforcement officials are still investigating. Prosecutors allege the older Fusi tried to settle matters by drawing a silver .45-caliber handgun and shooting Fusi. Fusi, prosecutors say, managed to bolt from the apartment, but Fusi continued to shoot him on the stairs, killing him.

Max Fusi, who talked to a Globe reporter after the murder about seeing Davis's body in a pool of blood, helped his brother by taking the handgun and throwing it into a vacant lot across the street. The younger brother was ordered held in lieu of $250,000 bail at his arraignment on Monday.

Innocent, etc.