
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 8, 1990                   TAG: 9003081989
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-6   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG                                LENGTH: Short

CHRISTIANSBURG TEEN TO BE TRIED AS ADULT

A judge in Radford ruled Wednesday that a 17-year-old boy should be tried as an adult on charges of rape and breaking and entering.

Vernell Johnson was arrested at his home in Christiansburg in January on nine charges in connection with attacks on four Radford University students. He also was charged in Christiansburg in connection with an attack on a Christiansburg woman.

Judge Patrick Graybeal of the Radford Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court sent the Radford charges to the city's Circuit Court grand jury, Commonwealth's Attorney Randall Duncan said. The grand jury meets March 19.

Johnson is being held at the New River Valley Juvenile Detention Home in Christiansburg. - New River Valley bureau

by CNB