Gang charge nets guilty plea

A Waynesboro man whose MySpace page displayed gang slogans and featured a photo of his young son wearing a red bandana pleaded guilty Friday in a gang-related assault.
Joshua Talley, 20, attacked Garrett Spears, of Waynesboro, on May 10 at the Sunoco gas station at 420 N. Poplar Ave. in Waynesboro. He pleaded guilty to a felony charge of participating in a criminal act as part of a gang and to a misdemeanor charge for assaulting Spears. A charge that Talley also assaulted a woman in the incident was dropped.
A second man, Robby Maybush, also is charged in the incident. His case was continued Friday.
Judge Humes J. Franklin denied bond to Talley, who was joined in court by his pregnant wife. The baby is due in six days, according to his attorney, Michael Hallahan II.
Virginia Assistant Attorney General Phil Figura said in court that the commonwealth had offered a plea deal for Maybush and is awaiting a counter-deal from Maybush’s defense attorney, Peter Boatner. Figura said he didn’t think it would take long for the two sides to reach an agreement.
The incident began unfolding when Maybush shouted “Crip killer” to Katrina Spears as she walked with Garrett past the gas station, Figura said. Katrina Spears’ relationship to Garrett was not identified in court.
After she and Maybush shouted at one another, Katrina Spears kicked Maybush and Talley attacked Garrett Spears, Figura said. Another car pulled up and other gang members climbed out and joined the attack, Figura said.
Hallahan mostly agreed with Figura’s version of events, but said Talley was pumping gas when Garrett and Katrina Spears walked by. Hallahan said Garrett Spears and Maybush began arguing and Maybush then hit Garrett Spears in the face.
“That’s when Mr. Talley made a poor decision; he jumped in,” Hallahan said. Talley put Garrett Spears in a headlock while Maybush continued hitting him, Hallahan said.
“[Talley] never assaulted the girl,” Hallahan said. “He never touched the girl.”
Figura said there was no proof that either Garrett or Katrina Spears was a part of a gang, though a cousin of theirs is a “ranking” member of the Crips.
“They wanted to draw out the cousin in a fight,” Figura said.
Talley’s MySpace page displays the slogan “CK 311” – meaning Crip killer, Figura said. A statement, “I’m doing what I want to do, and I’m happy…” previously appeared on the page alongside a photo of Talley’s young son wearing a red bandana around his neck. That picture since has been taken off the page.
Red is the color of the Crips’ rival gang, the Bloods.
Figura said Talley didn’t hesitate in admitting his role in the crime.
“He confessed to his involvement in the gang,” Figura said. “He confessed to his involvement in the assault.”
Talley told authorities “with a huge amount of smugness … he’d take his five to eight years” for what he did, Figura said.
Talley denies that, Hallahan said.
Figura said Talley recruited younger people into the gang. Some of those people, Figura said, also were involved in the assaults.