CC shooting earns 39-year recommendation from jury

Charles City Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Tyler described the shooting at the old elementary school as constructing a wall brick-by-brick with mortar. For one Highland Springs man, that wall came crashing down, along with seven guilty verdicts and a recommendation of 39 years in prison time.

A jury of eight women and four men convicted JoQuan W. Hawkins, 21, of W. Jerald Street, on one count of aggravated malicious wounding, one count of malicious wounding, two counts of use of a firearm in a malicious wounding, and three counts of malicious shooting into an occupied vehicle during the two-day trial commencing on Aug. 15. Hawkins received a not guilty verdict on one count of malicious shooting into an occupied vehicle.

Last Sept. 10, an argument on a social media site led to Justin Brown and Jege Jefferson meeting at the old elementary school. Shortly after 11 p.m. Brown and Jefferson arrived with entourages before they engaged in a physical fistfight, lasting less than a couple of minutes according to witnesses. After the altercation, both parties and witnesses proceeded back to their vehicles, when gunshots were heard. Brown and another man, Westmore Tabb III, were struck by bullets, resulting in injuries.

Testimony by three of the witnesses described the shooter as a tall, thin black male with braids. While witnesses’ description fit the defendant, defense attorney Mufeed Said challenged the witnesses’ account when he addressed the jury.

“None of the Charles City people can specifically identify Hawkins,” commented Said. “The guilt or innocence of this man will boil down to four witnesses.”

Those four witnesses, Jefferson, DaQuaun Perry, Isaac King, and Demonte’ Cole, were friends of Hawkins and rode to view the fight.

“You need to ask yourself if those four are good enough brick masons to build a wall,” added Said, pointing to credibility issues that include Perry, King, and Jefferson who either have pending charges or felony convictions.

Jefferson’s testimony recalled his initial conversation with the defendant.

“I called Jo up and told him about the fight,” Jefferson said. “He said he was going to bring his gun.”

Tyler displayed a board with phone records indicating the action Jefferson and Hawkins had throughout the night of the incident.

“I saw him shooting and when we got back, we talked about what we were going to say and do,” continued Jefferson.

However, Said’s cross-examination pointed to a potential cover-up by Jefferson and challenged his credibility.

“When the authorities seized Jefferson’s phone, there were pictures of him holding the magazine of a .45 caliber,” the defense attorney rebutted, saying the casing in the picture and the shells found in Jefferson’s car and the crime scene were identical.

Said continued attacking the witnesses’ credibility, pointing to testimony at an earlier preliminary hearing.

“You admitted you lied under oath there and all of a sudden since you turned 20 [the day before] and all of sudden had a revelation?” charged Said. “Seems ironic that after an abduction charge was dropped you start to ‘tell the truth.’”

King, Perry, and Cole all testified later, claiming Hawkins was the triggerman during the shooting.

The second day of trial commenced with the defense electing not to testify or present evidence. Closing arguments followed swiftly as both the prosecution and defense summarized different viewpoints.

“You have four good friends of the defendant testify against him,” said Tyler. “His friends tried to protect him at first because nobody wants to see their friend in trouble.”

“His friends have no incentive to lie, and the Charles City people have no incentive to lie as well,” concluded the commonwealth’s attorney.

“As I told you at the beginning I told you it would boil down to four folks,” replied Said. “Not one single Charles City person can identify him and didn’t out of a line up.

“This ‘wall’ the commonwealth has presented is built out of bubble gum and Elmer’s glue and uses Styrofoam for bricks,” continued the defense attorney. “Would you trust those four witnesses to build that wall for you?”

The jury took an hour and 45 minutes before returning guilty verdicts on seven of the eight charges. When deciding the sentencing, the jury recommended 39 years, the minimum amount of time Hawkins can serve. Terms of 20 years for the aggravated malicious wounding, five years on malicious wounding, three years for the first and five years for the second use of a firearm during a malicious wounding, and two years on three counts of malicious shooting into an occupied vehicle (a total of six years), bring the total to 39 years. By contrast, Hawkins turned down an initial plea deal for 11 years and a second plea deal with 11 years as the maximum amount to be served.

Formal sentencing for Hawkins is scheduled for Oct. 18.