After deliberating for more than an hour, a Circuit Court jury Wednesday found Demonta “Gangsta” Gardner guilty of burglary of a dwelling but not guilty of armed robbery. A juror poll showed it agreed one hundred percent on the verdict.
“We never know what a jury is going to do, so let’s not act out one way or another,” Judge Jim Kitchens said before the verdict was read.
Gardner was immediately placed into the custody of the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department on an order from Kitchens, who stated Gardner is facing an additional burglary charge from a separate incident. He was taken to the Lowndes County Adult Detention Center where he will remain in custody until he is sentenced. Kitchens denied Gardner bond.
Gardner, 19, of 917 11th Ave. S.; Bobby Adonis Bluitt, 18, of 609 South Gaywood Ave.; Tevin Rashad Oglen, 18, of 494 Dogwood Blvd.; Jeremy Billups, 18, of 412 E. Gaywood Ave.; Corey Jamar Lathan, 18, of 384 Long Drive and Michael Satterfield, 18, of 1622 Washington Ave. were arrested September 29, 2011 and charged with armed robbery and burglary of Karen Winter at her home at the Sandpiper Apartments at 320 Eighth St. N.
During her testimony Tuesday, Winter said she was watching the news on Sept. 29, 2011 when she heard a knock at her door. Thinking it was her upstairs neighbor, Winter said she went to unlock the door when it was pushed in and a gun was shoved in her face. She stated she was told to lie on the floor and cover her face while her house was robbed.
After court was dismissed, Winter watched as Gardner was led from the courtroom by deputies. The longtime employee with the Colom Law Firm said the verdict was somewhat bittersweet.
“I would have liked to have seen him be convicted on both charges,” Winter said. “He admitted he was there, so to me he is guilty. I hope the other five are all convicted as well.”
In a full day of testimony, witnesses, including Satterfield, Billups and Oglen, contradicted one another, providing a sketchy outline at best of what occurred on the night of Sept. 29, 2011. Testimony by Satterfield, Billups, Oglen and Gardner placed two guns, a small revolver and a 40 caliber semi-automatic handgun, in the various hands of Oglen, Gardner and Lathan. The guns and some of Winter’s belongings were recovered by investigators.
Gardner testified Tuesday he remained in Bluitt’s truck while Winter’s home was robbed, although conflicting testimony placed him both inside the house and as one of two gunmen.
Bluitt, Lathan, Oglen, Billups and Satterfield are scheduled to begin their trials Tuesday, May 29. Satterfield is currently incarcerated at the LCADC on an unrelated grand larceny charge.
Defense Attorney Carrie Jourdan and Assistant District Attorney Mark Jackson spent the majority of the trial trying to prove who instigated the robbery. Police Chief Selvain McQueen, who was one of the on-scene investigators, Wednesday afternoon said there was no clear determination in who was the ringleader of the group.
“There is no doubt that someone was the leader in this group,” McQueen said. “You always have followers and you have leaders. This is a good example of falling in with the wrong crowd. Trouble is the easiest thing in the world to get into and the hardest thing to get out of.”
When asked if he was disappointed with the verdict, McQueen praised the work of his officers and investigators.
“The Columbus Police Department did a great job, but we are not the judge or the jury,” he said. “We’ve got to respect the judicial process. But we will continue to fight crime. Our job is to arrest the criminals and put them in jail. It’s up to the judge and jury to decide their fate.”
Jourdan, who pushed for Gardner’s charges to be reduced to accessory after the fact, said she was “satisfied” with the verdict.
“I was satisfied with the jury’s outcome, they paid attention and tried to do the right thing,” Jourdan said. “I would have liked to have gotten an accessory after the fact verdict, but I’m OK with this.”
Gardner, who had tears in his eyes as he walked out of the courtroom in shackles, will be sentenced by Kitchens as early as Friday. He is facing a maximum of 25 years in prison.
Jeff Clark was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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