Crips to be sentenced Tuesday for Peachtree Mall murder

Heavy security is expected in Judge Frank Jordan Jr.’s 10th floor Government Center courtroom Tuesday as three members of the Crips street gang are sentenced in the fatal shooting of 24-year-old Anthony Meredith at Columbus’ Peachtree Mall.

Facing life in prison are Xzavaien Trevon Jones, 19; his sister Tekoa Chantrell Young, 24; and Terell Raquez McFarland, 26. A jury on May 3 convicted each on charges of murder, aggravated assault and criminal gang violence.

Prosecutors said Young tracked Meredith from the mall parking lot before meeting Jones and McFarland there. All three then walked to the mall food court entrance, where Meredith stood just outside the door. Jones shot Meredith 10 times before he, Young and McFarland fled, with the two men nearly causing a collision as they sped from the parking lot.

The shooting happened around 7:30 p.m. on March 26, 2016, the Saturday before Easter. Meredith died about 30 minutes later at the hospital.

Prosecutors said the three blamed Meredith for the Nov. 21, 2015, fatal shooting of Young’s boyfriend Christopher Twitty, the father of her child.

Meredith and Twitty had a dispute over Meredith’s fronting Twitty about $3,000 worth of marijuana, for which Twitty never paid, authorities said. Twitty also was in the Crips, investigators said.

During the trial, Meredith’s girlfriend testified that she, Young, Meredith and Twitty all knew each other from Hardaway High School, where Young got to be her “best friend.” Police said McFarland also attended Hardaway and played football there with Meredith and Twitty. Jones did not go to Hardaway, but got to know the others through his sister, according to court testimony.

Their convictions are sure to be challenged on appeal, as defense attorneys strenuously objected to Jordan’s replacing the jury foreperson after four jurors complained the woman was refusing to deliberate and insulting another juror by calling her “Dr. Phil.” The attorneys moved for a mistrial.

An alternate juror replaced the foreperson before deliberations resumed, leading to the guilty verdicts.

This story was originally published May 22, 2017 at 3:28 PM with the headline "Crips to be sentenced Tuesday for Peachtree Mall murder."