COLUMBUS, Ga. ( WRBL ) — Three weeks ago a Kendrick High School student was killed getting off the bus. Now, four men are facing dozens of new criminal street gang charges in connection with the murder.
Roannil Clanton, Demetrius Miles, Gregory Nelson and Marquis Roberts appeared in Recorder’s Court before Chief Judge David Ranieri Tuesday afternoon. The four men are facing criminal street gang charges in addition to the alleged crimes in the death of Lee.
Previously in court, police testified that the four co-defendants waited for Lee to get off the bus and opened fire. Clanton was caught within hours. The other three were arrested a few days later. There is eyewitness and video evidence.
Under Georgia’s criminal street gang laws, any crime committed in violation of that code section is considered a separate offense.
Clanton faces 55 gang related charges while Miles, Nelson and Roberts are facing 30 gang charges each. Authorities have not identified the criminal street gang the four men were allegedly affiliated with.
Democratic Georgia House of Representatives Member Teddy Reese welcomes the gang charges against the men.
“Plain and simple. People are sick and tired of the crap. People are sick and tired of the foolishness in our neighborhoods. Folks simply want to sit on their front porch and watch the sun go down,” Reese said. “And we have put the laws in place so that that can’t happen. We are coming to clean up the streets. I hope these people that are perpetuating these issues see that we’re not going to take it lightly on you. We’re going to ask the judge to throw the book at you. Everyone has an opportunity to be a productive citizen. No one has to go out there and be a troublemaker.”
Attorney General Chris Carr described Lee’s killing as a tragedy.
“Sadly, that is why we’ve got the gang statute, but most importantly, to allow the state to get in the game to help federal and local law enforcement as well, and to be, as I’ve said before, a force multiplier,” Carr said.
Carr said he did not want to make a definitive statement as to whether or not his office will take on the case. However, he says his office is interested in helping in however they can, “whether that’s us taking the case or supporting the local community.”
Authorities have not identified the criminal street gang the four teenagers allegedly were affiliated with. Clanton, however, is accused of organizing and recruiting gang members.
Reese said he believes the public is growing tired of silence surrounding the gang issue in the city.
“What I think the people are going to be glad to see that because for a while, the citizens of this city have been sick and tired of people tiptoeing around the fact that we have a gang issue and it’s one that we need to address,” Reese said. “And with the laws that have been made, we have the tools to deal with this. And you are seeing that happen right now.”
The probable cause hearing was delayed until Sept. 15. Ranieri ordered all four men be held in the Muscogee County Jail, but said the men were be kept in separate cells.
“So I think the community is going to applaud the effort of our law enforcement officials to catch these guys and to throw every law we have at them applicable, put it on them, because the simple fact is, no child, no child should have to worry about being gunned down simply trying to get off a school bus. That is totally unacceptable. It wasn’t acceptable when it happened and it won’t be acceptable tomorrow.”
Teddy Reese, Democrat Georgia House of Representatives
Lee died in a neighborhood not far from where he lived.
Previous Coverage
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRBL.
Local News
