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Charges reduced for teens
Four JM football players, once facing felony charges, were convicted yesterday of misdemeanor assault and received community service sentences.Date published: 5/2/2006 Four James Monroe High School students were convicted yesterday of a Jan. 20 misdemeanor assault on a Spotsylvania County teen stabbed to death that night. Each teen was convicted of one count of assault on 16-year-old Courtland High School junior Baron Braswell II. Spotsylvania Juvenile Judge Joseph J. Ellis sentenced each of the teens to perform 80 hours of community service within the next 120 days. They will be able to choose an appropriate form of service and must provide written proof of completion to Ellis. "You've got a debt to repay to the community," Ellis told the four Fredericksburg teens. The misdemeanor conviction was a significant reduction from the initial charges. When the trial started Friday, a total of five JM students faced felony charges of participating in a street gang and attempted malicious wounding. All of the gang participation charges were dismissed, and one teen was cleared of all charges. Marvin M. Parker II, 17, who is accused of stabbing Braswell to death at a CD-release party at the Howard Johnson motel in the Four-Mile Fork area, is charged with one count of first-degree murder. He will be tried as an adult, Ellis ruled Friday. Spotsylvania Commonwealth's Attorney William Neely presented his case against the JM students Friday. The accounts of his witnesses differed, but the four teens all were identified as being involved in kicking Braswell on the motel conference room floor. Four defense attorneys--Mark Gardner, Patricia Kelly, Eugene Frost and John Spencer--put on their cases yesterday. A 17-year-old JM student who wasn't charged testified that he and Braswell scuffled while "Knuck if You Buck" by Crime Mob played and students jumped around. He and Braswell bumped into each other, and Braswell landed a punch to his lip. Braswell's father said after court that he doubts his son was the aggressor. He said he taught his son to defend himself if attacked, but not to provoke. Other witnesses at the party testified yesterday that the JM boys who were charged did not take part in the fight. One witness testified that as many as 40 people were involved in the fight. Neely said after court that additional people were investigated, but detectives could not positively identify anyone involved other than the people charged. He said there won't be any additional charges.
Read more stories about Spotsylvania Date published: 5/2/2006
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