Jury: Teen not guilty

By Nate Delesline III

Published: May 21, 2008

A jury cleared a Culpeper teen of all charges related to a large fight last summer that left three injured.

Joshua J. Ravenel was found not guilty on a felony malicious wounding by mob charge and two misdemeanor simple assault charges. The jury reached its verdict after deliberating for about three hours.

“It was probably the worst time of my life,” Ravenel, 18, said outside the courtroom after being released by Circuit Court Judge John R. Cullen. “Everything is finally over with.”

Ravenel hugged his attorney, Public Defender Kevin Smith, immediately after the verdict was read, prompting an admonishment from Cullen that court was still in session.

Along with four others, Ravenel stood accused of involvement in a July 4, 2007, fight that began in Yowell Meadow Park, then spread to a residence on Virginia Avenue.

The jury reached their decision after hearing 3 1/2 hours of testimony Monday from 12 people, including Ravenel.

Four witnesses called by the commonwealth — Antwaine Morhead, John Richardson, Ashaad Ferebee and Tierre Jamal “T.J.” Smith — testified that Ravenel or his friends had approached them earlier on July 4 in the park and demanded to fight.

The witnesses also told the court that Ravenel and his group came to the Virginia Avenue residence later that evening, with about 40 others and physically attacked them.

Before deliberating, the jury of seven women and five men heard closing arguments from both sides.

In his 20-minute closing argument, Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney David Barredo attempted to discredit the three witnesses called in Ravenel’s defense — his mother, his sister and his girlfriend, telling the jury members they should recognize their bias in seeing Ravenel found not guilty.

Barredo also reminded the jury that under the law, anyone who is accused of participating in mob violence is viewed the same, even if their exact role in the incident can’t be determined.

During his 30-minute closing argument, Smith asked the jury to consider the testimony of witnesses, including Culpeper police Lt. Chris Settle. Smith reminded the jury that while Settle testified that he did see Ravenel earlier in the day, he was not engaged in any inappropriate behavior.

Smith stood behind testimony that placed Ravenel away from the Virginia Avenue residence while the fight was in progress.

“Our position is that he wasn’t there,” Smith told the jury. “The police that responded to the scene that night never talked to anybody. There’s only one way they got his identification — the guys who have been after him for three years.”

Smith added the testimony of several other witnesses, who told the court that police did not interview them about the incident, also likely contributed to the jury’s decision.

If convicted on the felony charge, Ravenel faced a 20-year prison sentence. Now cleared of all charges, Ravenel said he looks forward to graduating from Culpeper County High School next month and putting this incident behind him.

“Justice has been served,” he said.

Two other teens in the case entered plea deals in February. A jury found a third guilty in January and sentenced him in March. All were sentenced to an “indeterminate period of commitment” to the Department of Juvenile Justice, a sentence that could keep them locked up until age 21. The fifth teen accused is due in court in August.

Nate Delesline III can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 110 or .