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

DATE: SATURDAY, July 28, 1990                   TAG: 9007280303
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Laurence Hammack
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

MEMBER OF CROWD ON 11TH ST. FINED

Keith Leonard David contested a charge of unlawful assembly, but was convicted by Judge George Harris in Roanoke General District Court.

David, 31, of Franklin County, was one of several people charged with unlawful assembly on 11th Street, which was the site last month of problems with crowds that pelted passing cars with rocks and bottles.

Since police responded with a show of force the weekend David was arrested, authorities have reported no serious problems on 11th Street. Prosecutors said they expect most people charged with unlawful assembly to receive fines and suspended jail terms.

Officer K.E. Criner of the Roanoke Police Department testified Friday that he and about 25 other officers responded in riot gear to a report of a disorderly crowd about 1 a.m. June 9.

Criner testified that a crowd of about 200 had gathered near 11th Street and Moorman Road and some people were throwing bottles at cars.

As police moved in, the gathering was declared an unlawful assembly and crowd members were told they had three minutes to leave. Most of them did.

After that, Criner testified, officers split up into smaller groups and began to approach people who refused to leave.

When David lingered in the area of Tasty's Caribbean Restaurant, police approached and told him he had to leave. "[Expletive] you," David replied, according to Criner's testimony.

Police then placed him under arrest.

"Why didn't you just move on up the street?" Harris asked David.

"I was just looking for my ride back to Franklin County," he replied. David said Friday that he "couldn't recall" if he made abusive comments to police.