Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Charges reduced against teens who left playing cards in Pearisburg
The felony charges brought against two Pembroke teenagers who left threatening playing cards in the Pearisburg Wal-Mart last month were dropped today to misdemeanors.
Justin Colby DiRico and Bryan Eugene Stafford, both 18, admitted to leaving playing cards that bore handwritten messages inside the store in early August, police have said. The messages implied that people would die on Aug. 15.
The teens admitted the cards had been inspired by this summer's Batman move, "The Dark Knight," in which Batman's nemesis, the Joker, uses jester-faced playing cards to mark the scenes of his crimes.
Pearisburg police charged DiRico and Stafford with conspiring to commit acts of terrorism, a Class 3 Felony.
But at a scheduled preliminary hearing this afternoon in Giles County General District Court, Giles County Commonwealth's Attorney Phillip Steele amended the charges to misdemeanor disorderly conduct.
DiRico and Stafford pleaded not guilty to the charges.
District Court Judge Gino Williams agreed to take the charges under advisement for 12 months. During that year, DiRico and Stafford will be required to perform 50 hours of community service and attend counseling. They will also be on probation after six months.
Williams told them that if they meet those requirements and have no further violations, he will dismiss the charges at the end of the 12-month period.
Justin Colby DiRico and Bryan Eugene Stafford, both 18, admitted to leaving playing cards that bore handwritten messages inside the store in early August, police have said. The messages implied that people would die on Aug. 15.
The teens admitted the cards had been inspired by this summer's Batman move, "The Dark Knight," in which Batman's nemesis, the Joker, uses jester-faced playing cards to mark the scenes of his crimes.
Pearisburg police charged DiRico and Stafford with conspiring to commit acts of terrorism, a Class 3 Felony.
But at a scheduled preliminary hearing this afternoon in Giles County General District Court, Giles County Commonwealth's Attorney Phillip Steele amended the charges to misdemeanor disorderly conduct.
DiRico and Stafford pleaded not guilty to the charges.
District Court Judge Gino Williams agreed to take the charges under advisement for 12 months. During that year, DiRico and Stafford will be required to perform 50 hours of community service and attend counseling. They will also be on probation after six months.
Williams told them that if they meet those requirements and have no further violations, he will dismiss the charges at the end of the 12-month period.
