Jurors Give Sentenced Gang Member Something To Think About

Jurors had some fun recently when recommending a sentence for Randy P. Broward in a Newport News gang murder conspiracy case — including selecting a blue marker to fill out some of the paperwork in the case.

Broward, 33, of Hampton, was accused of, among other things, ordering three gang underlings to kill three men — a plot that was foiled when one of the gang members went to his mother about the command, and she got the police involved.

The 12-member jury gave him the maximum prison time — life plus 237 years — for the 20 charges. They also fined Broward $75,000 on four of the counts, explaining later that they chose that number because Broward forced a prostitute and gang member to give him 75 percent of her earnings.

Jurors also told prosecutors that they chose blue ink when filling out the verdict and sentencing forms — a bid to tweak Broward, a member of the Bloods gang, which favors all things red. Blue is the color of their bitter rivals, the Crips.

"They went out and got a pen that was clearly blue, like a magic marker," said Senior Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Chad Perkins. "They wanted him to take that back to his cell and think about it."

Source; dailypress http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-nws-crime-notebook-0320-20110319,0,7960760.story