Four suspects face gang charges in death of Columbus 15-year-old at school bus stop
Four suspects charged with shooting and killing a Columbus 15-year-old after he got off a school bus now face numerous gang-related charges.
Roannill Clanton, Demetrius Miles and two juvenile suspects face murder charges as well as these additional gang related charges following the death of Earkavion Lee. Each suspect faces more than a dozen offenses, though a judge dismissed some of their charges in a court hearing Tuesday.
Three of the suspects stood in court after the hearing of one of the juveniles was waived and bound over to Superior Court.
The three remaining suspects (Clanton, Miles, and the other juvenile) all pleaded not guilty to their charges. Columbus police Cpl. James Whiteman, testified the investigation into the shooting determined the fatal incident was gang-motivated.
Whiteman alleged the three defendants are members or associates of a hybrid street gang in Columbus known as “Drive-by Hustle Crips,” a sub-sect of “Rolling 60 Crips.”
Whiteman testified that Miles was previously validated as a confirmed member of the Drive-by Hustle Crips.
Whiteman testified the victim in this shooting had previously gotten into fights at school after talking about the victim of a murder who was a member of Drive-by Hustle. Whiteman said those statements by Lee were the motivation for the killing.
Whiteman testified the victim was a member of a rival street gang to Drive-by Hustle, named “58 gang.”
Within Georgia’s statutes on gang offenses, there a handful of potential crimes that are part of this case:
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person employed by or associated with a criminal street gang to conduct or participate in criminal gang activity through the commission of any offense enumerated in paragraph (1) of Code Section 16-15-3 (another statute relating to gang activity).
(b) It shall be unlawful for any person to commit any offense enumerated in paragraph (1) of Code Section 16-15-3 with the intent to obtain or earn membership or maintain or increase his or her status or position in a criminal street gang.
(c) It shall be unlawful for any person to acquire or maintain, directly or indirectly, through criminal gang activity or proceeds derived therefrom any interest in or control of any real or personal property of any nature, including money.
(d) It shall be unlawful for any person who occupies a position of organizer, supervisory position, or any other position of management or leadership with regard to a criminal street gang to engage in, directly or indirectly, or conspire to engage in criminal gang activity.
(e) It shall be unlawful for any person to directly, or through another acting upon such person’s direction, cause, encourage, solicit, recruit, or coerce another to become a member or associate of a criminal street gang, to participate in a criminal street gang, or to conduct or participate in criminal gang activity.
Judge David Ranieri found probable cause on charges that fell under section A, B and D and bound the cases over to Superior Court for those offenses, where the case could be resolved through a trial or guilty plea.
But Ranieri dismissed dozens of other charges from the suspects’ cases Tuesday, including 22 charges from sections C and E for Clanton, who now faces 33 charges. Miles had 10 charges dismissed from section C and now faces 20 charges. The juvenile who’s Recorder’s Court hearing was held Tuesday had 10 charges dropped from section C and faces 20 charges under statute.
The state requested to have these charges dropped. A prosecutor later said more evidence needed to be reviewed, which could bring more charges.